


The Blythes Reminisce

by Thesunisinmypocket



Series: The Blythe Documentary [4]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Childhood Stories, F/M, mockumentary
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:07:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24581296
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thesunisinmypocket/pseuds/Thesunisinmypocket
Summary: The documentary crew is back one last time to get the story of Anne and Gilbert's journey from the very beginning to where they are now.(A mockumentary)
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: The Blythe Documentary [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1746946
Comments: 80
Kudos: 164





	1. Prologue: The Start of It All

**“Rolling! We can start the interview.”**

**_Gilbert Blythe – 29, Cardiologist_ **

_“Is this on? All good? Okay.” The new father smiled before listening to the question the crew was asking him. “Uhm, I met Anne when I was 8 years old. She had just moved in after being adopted by the Cuthberts who lived in the same neighborhood. They lived 2 houses away, next to Jerry’s house.” He said as he recalled the details._

**_Anne Blythe – 28, Journalist_ **

“ _Jerry was my next-door neighbor, so his house was in between mine and Gilbert’s. Jerry was actually the one who introduced me to him.” Anne said as she tried to remember the details of their encounter too._

* * *

Gilbert Blythe was surprised when he saw a redhead girl come into the house of Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert. He didn’t really know what to make of it, but he was excited to see if he could find a new friend in the young girl. His father, John Blythe, had explained to him that their neighbors decided to be guardians of an orphan girl and told him to be nice to her. “Be friendly and kind, okay?” His father had said.

Jerry Baynard met the new neighbor first. He lived right next to her, after all. And one day on a Friday afternoon, both Gilbert and Jerry were playing around in the street when the latter decided to introduce Gilbert to Anne.

“You should meet Anne.” Jerry said, excitedly. “She’s gardening there with Miss Cuthbert.” He pointed out to the Cuthberts’ lawn.

“Sure, I’d love to.” Gilbert grinned as his friend led the way.

“Anne!” Jerry shouted with a smile just when Marilla went back into the house to grab more supplies.

Anne looked up from the flowers she was planting and waved hello. “Hi there, Jerry.” She grinned. Standing up from her position, she walked towards her neighbors.

“Anne, this is Gilbert Blythe. He lives right next to me.”

“Hi there,” Gilbert smiled, offering his hand to the younger girl.

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.” She replied, taking her gloves off before shaking his hand. Her grip was confident, firm, but not rough. Even when she was young, Anne showed a lot of charisma.

“Nice to meet you too,” he said politely. He looked at her up and down and with a grin, he said, “Your hair. They're like carrots.”

Anne’s face was ashen, and her friendly expression turned into a scowl. She didn’t say anything, but she slapped Gilbert in the face with a gusto before she ran into the house, surprising Marilla who had just come back out.

The older woman had seen what had happened. “Anne!” She called out, but the redhead had already gone upstairs. Marilla walked over to Gilbert to check if the boy was okay. Both he and Jerry were shocked. The younger of the two had his jaw dropped, surprised by what had happened, while the hazel-eyed boy blinked rapidly to process what just took place. His hand was still on his left cheek that had started to turn redder than usual.

“Gilbert, are you alright?” Marilla kneeled down in front of Gilbert, checking on his face.

“I’m okay, Miss Cuthbert.” The young boy said. “I’m sorry about that.”

“No, no, I should apologize. I’ll have a word with Anne.”

“Don’t be sorry, Miss Cuthbert. It was my fault. I think I might’ve made her angry.” Gilbert frowned not really sure how he had made her so furious. “I should go home.”

“I’ll go with you,” Jerry said.

“Alright. I’m really sorry Gilbert.”

“Don’t worry Miss Cuthbert, see you around!” Gilbert smiled before making his way home with Jerry.

When they turned around, Jerry said, “Woah!”

“I know.”

“She’s not usually like that. She's really kind to me.”

“I figured, Jerry. Did I say something wrong? I was just complimenting her hair.”

“Girls… They’re hard to understand.” Jerry shook his head while patting the older boy's shoulder. Gilbert let out a deep breath, still flabbergasted, but intrigued. He’d never made anyone hate him that fast before.

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Yeah, it wasn’t uhm,” he smiled shyly as he recalled this very special, embarrassing memory. “It wasn’t my best moment. We didn’t meet on the best terms.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Okay… Later on, he did justify that he wasn’t trying to insult me.” Anne grinned, looking at the camera. “But come on, a comment like that, you’d think it was an insult, right?” she asked the crew and some of them nodded behind the camera and the mics. “Carrots? Really? He was basically saying I looked like a vegetable.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“If only you could hear the boisterous laugh of my father when I told him what happened. I remember that he exasperatedly said, 'I told you to be kind, Gilbert.' but I was young and dumb, I didn't understand that the term carrots was not a compliment in Anne's dictionary.” Gilbert shook his head, smiling._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“You should’ve heard how shocked Matthew was when Marilla gave me a tongue-lashing.” Anne laughed._

**_Jerry Baynard – 28, Nurse_ **

_Jerry laughed thunderously when he heard the question he was asked. “Ohh,” He said as he calmed down. “It was a disaster! After that encounter, you wouldn’t think they’d ever be friends, let alone get to where they are now. It was shocking, yet amazing.” He grinned._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! We're back for another ride. It’s a mixture of an interview done in present time and flashbacks from their past. It should be fun. :)
> 
> A really short prologue to start it, but I think it'll get longer as these characters get more substance. I'm really excited for this, so I hope you like it. Please stay tuned :D
> 
> The rating, characters, and tags will be updated frequently as the story moves forward. We'll see.


	2. We Are Going to Be Friends

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I don’t think we became friends until long after that.” Anne said. “It definitely took a while.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Yeah, I wouldn't say we were friends. In fact, she kept ignoring me for I don’t know… three years? Anne’s a little younger than I am, but we were in the same year and aside from the usual assigned group works, she wouldn't talk to me. She barely even looked at me.” Gilbert chuckled._

* * *

Anne’s adjustment to the neighborhood didn’t go as fast as she wanted it to be. She got odd looks and heard whispers everywhere she went, but it did get better after a while. She felt lucky that the Cuthberts were a warm, accepting family. Even though they had stern exteriors, Anne found that her two guardians were affectionate at heart. It wasn’t just the Cuthberts that made her transition better, the Baynards were also quick to take her in. They were a large family, but they were merry and kind. Anne even found herself surprised by John Blythe. He was way gentler and more pleasant than she had imagined him to be. She remembered thinking that his son was not made in his image, for sure.

Anne always took the bus to school with the other neighborhood kids. They would wait in the bus stop together, but Anne didn’t really talk to anyone, even though she sometimes wanted to. She often stood next to Jerry, but Gilbert seemed to like talking to Jerry too. Every time he’d come around to stand near the duo, Anne would always walk away, confusing Jerry. This didn't change as the years went by.

Gilbert had made many efforts to be her friend over the course of knowing her the last few years. Believe me, he tried. The young boy would always say hi when he saw her. He’d wave and smile when they passed each other in the school hallways. He’d ask her questions when they did group works and always listened to what she had to say when they discussed things in class. It was obvious to others such as Jerry or John or even Matthew that Gilbert was just trying to be her friend, but whatever he did, even his sheer presence annoyed her. The redhead was adamant that she didn’t want Gilbert Blythe in her life. (Joke’s on her, honestly. If only 8 year old Anne could see them now.)

“Ah geez,” Anne said to Jerry when Gilbert waved hi with a grin as he made his way to the duo. They were 11 years old at this point.

“Come on Anne, it’s been years! He’s not a bad guy. Trust me, he never meant to do any harm.” Jerry said.

“Still. I don’t like him. See you later,” Anne said walking away. Gilbert felt defeated and looked at the other boy.

“She still hates me, doesn’t she?”

“Yeah. Sucks to be you, Gilbert.” Jerry laughed, teasing him.

“If only she would just talk to me, you know? Seriously talk to me, not just when we discuss science in class or something.”

“I know, I know. I honestly think you might end up being friends if she gives you a chance. Just don’t expect her to make it easy for you though.”

“Knowing her, I don’t expect anything else.” Gilbert shrugged.

Luckily and unluckily for him, that week, the Cuthberts were going out of town for a business trip. They had to meet with their overseas importer. They’ve done this plenty of times and whenever they had to go abroad, Anne would usually stay with the Baynards. However, this time, Jerry’s parents were very busy with their newborn. They had a surprised unplanned pregnancy and the youngest Baynard was being brought home that very same week. In the end, Matthew and Marilla asked John Blythe if young Anne could stay with him instead, much to the redhead’s chagrin. John excitedly agreed, glad to have her around. Gilbert, on the other hand, was **_nervous._**

It was surprisingly easy for Anne to stay with the Blythes. Their home was cozy and warm. It was loving, even. John made her feel welcomed and he treated her as his own. Anne loved John, she considered him a kindred spirit ever since they first met, but she still avoided Gilbert as much as possible.

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“My dad loved Anne. And she always called him a kindred spirit, I think. He became her friend long before I did.” He chuckled. “Yeah, Anne and dad had something special. Even before we started dating, he always treated her as his own daughter.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“John Blythe was a God-sent. A true angel if I may say so myself.” Anne smiled. “The first time I met him, I remembered thinking how someone like him could’ve had an offspring as monstrous as Gilbert.” She laughed. “Of course, that did change, but I didn’t know it at the moment. Not until **that night.** ”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I would never forget how we finally became friends. It wasn’t a fuzzy, cute story. It was a really bad night for her. But looking back at it now, I think the three of us managed to turn it around for the better and I’m really glad we did.”_

* * *

It was Anne’s second night of staying with the Blythes and she was sleeping in the guest bedroom right next to Gilbert’s. At first, it was a bearable night. John had made the kids dinner after he came home from work and they did their homework under the older man’s company before separately going to bed.

It wasn’t until Anne had a nightmare that things started to take a turn. The image of the older girls from the foster home shoving a dead mouse in front of her face and forcing her to kiss it woke her up with a jolt. Her breaths were short and fast, her heart thumping so hard in her chest, she could hear it. She drank a couple sips of water from the glass she had on her nightstand, trying her best to calm herself down. She looked at the clock, saw that it was only 2 A.M, and realized that there was a long way to go before other people would wake up. She tried going back to sleep again, tossing and turning in the process, but every time she closed her eyes, the images seemed to enter her mind again. She decided to go out of her room, she needed a sense of warmth, a reminder that she was no longer there in that awful foster home.

Anne thought about going to John Blythe’s room, but decided to go against it, not wanting to disturb the older man who seemed very tired after going home from work. Since Gilbert’s room was next to her, she decided to ask him for help instead. Swallowing her pride and hatred for the boy, she silently opened his door and walked to his bedside. Her grudge can wait, she just really needed someone. Anyone.

“Gilbert,” she said softly, holding the boy’s shoulder in effort to wake him. He was sleeping so soundly, it actually made Anne feel guilty for trying to wake him up. Gilbert didn’t respond so she thought that maybe she should just go back and dwell silently by herself, but suddenly the boy turned around and faced her.

“Hng? Anne?” He asked, his voice raspy and his eyes only one-third opened.

“Gilbert, can I sleep here with you? I had a nightmare. I can take the floor.” The young girl said.

“Yeah, you can sleep here. Don’t take the floor, I can scoot over.” Gilbert said, making room for the redhead. He opened the covers so Anne can go under it.

“Thank you,” she said as she slid under the duvet covers. She turned her back to him, not wanting to be too close, but to Anne’s surprise, she felt Gilbert pat her back just for a short moment as a sign of comfort. It was his way of letting her know that he would be there if she needed him.

She tried going back to sleep and having him there did work for a while, but a couple hours after drifting off, her nightmare continued, this time even more vivid. The vicious laughter of the other girls rang in her dreams and she could even smell the odour of the rat. It didn’t feel like a dream, it was as if she was reliving an even more sadistic version of that awful experience.

“NO!!!” She screamed as she sat up from her sleep. She was breathing rapidly again and her hands immediately covered her face. She couldn’t believe that this was happening.

“Hey, hey, you’re alright.” She heard Gilbert say. His hand was on her back. “It’s okay, you’re alright, Anne.” He kept saying over and over, trying to calm her down.

John came over as soon as he heard the scream. He came into Gilbert’s room after seeing that Anne wasn’t in hers. He was shocked, scared for her even. The older man walked over to the bed and sat on it.

“Anne, are you alright?” He asked, gently. The young girl didn’t answer, she just went and hugged him, surprising the older man. He knew she was crying because he felt his shirt started getting warm with wet tears. He hugged the small girl, rubbing small circles on her back. He was getting so worried. Matthew and Marilla had told him a little bit of Anne’s history, but he never imagined how severe it was. He felt immense concern for her at the moment. “It’s okay. You’re alright now, you’re safe Anne.” He said.

Gilbert sat there watching his father comfort the redhead who settled in the older man’s embrace. He had never seen her so vulnerable before. Anne had always seemed so strong, looking at her now showed him a side she'd hidden from everyone who didn't bother looking, and it surprised him. As he heard what his father said about her being safe, he was shocked. Safe? Had Anne been in any kind of danger before? Why was his father saying that? Gilbert had endless questions.

When Anne finally calmed down, she went to the bathroom to wash her face. None of them went back to sleep that night, so they decided to just start their day earlier. Gilbert was waiting for Anne with his dad when the young boy asked, “Dad, what did you mean when you said she’s safe now? Did something happen?”

John sighed, not sure if it was his place to tell her story. “Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert told me a little bit of what Anne went through in the foster home. I won’t get into much detail, but I can only say that the people there, her whole history really, hasn’t been kind to her. When I agreed that Anne could stay here, the Cuthberts warned me that she still has nightmares sometimes. I just didn’t think it would be that traumatizing.” John shook his head. He was genuinely worried for the young girl. ‘ _What the hell did they put her through?’_ He thought.

Gilbert looked down. Like his father, he was worried and did feel immense care for her even though they’ve never spoken much aside for schoolwork. “Do you think there’s any way we can help her with the dreams?” He asked his dad softly.

John smiled a small smile at his son. “Well, we can’t control the dreams she has when she’s sleeping, but we can show her how much we care for her when she’s awake. We must show her that she’s in a safe environment now. I think that’s the only thing we can do. **_Be there for our friend._** ”

Gilbert nodded at his dad. Was Anne his friend? Before this week, they’ve never really talked, but he figured his dad was right. He should be there for her, even more so when she needed someone. He decided there and then that he would be an available shoulder for her to lean on.

“I’m gonna go down to the kitchen.” John said, patting Gilbert’s shoulder. “Check on Anne, okay?” He smiled before leaving Gilbert.

“Okay,” Gilbert said. He made his way to wait for her in front of the bathroom and he noticed that she was still sniffling when she came out. Her eyes were puffy, and her face was pale. It was obvious she was still in shock.

“Oh!” Anne said, surprised by the figure she saw next to the door. She wasn't expecting anyone to be there. “You surprised me.”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be.” She said softly.

“Are you alright? Do you want to talk about it or??” He asked, his eyes earnestly trying to comfort her.

“Not right now… Not today.” She said, her own eyes the complete opposite of Gilbert’s. They were solemn and lifeless.

“Okay… Whenever you want to, I’m here.” He said with a small smile.

“Thank you…” She said softly. “For letting me sleep with you. I know that was kind of weird, but I really needed a warm body. And even then, I still managed to wake the whole house up.” She continued. “I’m really sorry, I just can't do anything right,” she shook her head, looking down at her feet. She was embarrassed and morose about the whole ordeal. She felt as if something was wrong with her and that she kept messing things up. Gilbert could see it in her expression and her obvious agony hurt him more than he could ever have imagined.

“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “And you don’t need to thank me for anything. **_That’s what friends are for._** ” He smiled at her. “If you ever need a warm body, I’m here. Really.” He offered.

Anne had never thought of Gilbert as a friend before, just an annoying neighbor, but maybe he wasn’t so bad. Maybe it was time to see him in a new light. Anne smiled and nodded, accepting his offer.

“I really appreciate it.”

“So uh, I know we haven’t been really close since, you know,” he said shyly as he recalled the day he messed up and she decided to despise him. “But uh, truce?” He asked, offering his hand.

“Yeah,” Anne nodded and took his hand to shake it. “Truce.”

Gilbert smiled and said, “Let’s go downstairs. I think my dad’s making breakfast. I hope you like oatmeal.”

“I love oatmeal.” Anne grinned as he led the way.

“Good,” he smirked. “I heard they’re good for your heart.”

It was obvious that what the young boy meant was the heart in your cardiovascular system, the one he would later on specialize in, but having a bowl of warm oatmeal in the kitchen counter with the Blythes after the most horrible nightmare wasn’t just good for Anne’s heart. It was good for her soul and it tended to some of the open wounds she still had. Anne knew then that she had found something special in the Blythes and she was certain that she would cherish it forever.

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We became friends after that. I got really close with the Blythes and Gilbert soon became my dearest confidant. It was the most awful night turned into the beginning of something really special to me.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“We became ridiculously close. Actually, if I'm being honest, we became inseparable, really. But I think it happened to make up for all the lost time. Anne and I thwarted fate long enough. We were always meant to be friends.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it 🥺


	3. The Days We Fell In Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which I am Jerry.

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“After that? Well they surprised everyone by acting like a married couple. I think some of the girls that liked Gilbert actually dropped dead. But since Anne and Gilbert are legit married now, I guess it all worked out.” Jerry shrugged._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Jerry said what?! We didn’t act like a married couple!” Anne said. “Not until we dated, at least.” She continued as a blush crept onto her cheeks._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Oh we definitely acted like a married couple.” He nodded. “Even when we were just friends, we did act a little differently than other people would with their friends. I think that at the moment, we didn’t really realize we were unusual, but thinking about it now, I can say that what Jerry said was rather true.”_

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“I mean… They did really care for each other. Even before they officially dated, they always had that look in their eyes. You guys know what I mean right?” Jerry asked the crew who have captured those looks on camera several times to know well enough what the nurse meant. “So yeah, the eyes kind of gave it away. It doesn’t matter if you’re friends or lovers, if you look at someone that way, you definitely love them. And love doesn’t always have to be romantic, but when it came to them, us, observers knew that there was something more going on there.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I think what made us different was the process of our relationship from the beginning of the friendship until when we started dating. I think I always did love her. Even though it started platonically, I did always love her so much, that loving her became second nature to me. By the time I did start having romantic feelings for Anne, I also realized that it didn’t matter if she returned my feelings or not, I’d still love her just the same.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We were close, of course we were, but I wouldn't say that we were acting like a married couple. We just, maybe we’ve always cared for each other too much and we were kind of touchy even when we were still just friends. That’s probably why Jerry said these things.”_

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“They actually only got together by the end of junior year in high school, if I'm not mistaken. Shockingly." Jerry said with a fake surprised expression. "I honestly don’t know when Gilbert and Anne started liking one another as more of a friend because they always seemed to like each other more than as a friend, if you get what I mean. I thought they’d get together earlier, but they didn’t.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I didn’t think I’d be romantically involved with Anne, but in the end of sophomore year, I asked her to run away with me and she said yes. For me, it started from there.”_

* * *

**How Gilbert Fell in Love**

“That’s fascinating.” Anne said to a yawning Jerry and a distracted Gilbert. They were at a museum in Boston with the rest of their year for a school trip. They were spending a week in Massachusetts and today was their last day before going back to PEI the next morning.

“I don’t know how many museums we’ve been to this trip. I’ve lost count.” Jerry said, uninterested in what their group museum leader was telling them.

“When they said we were going to Massachusetts for a week, I really thought we’d experience more.” Gilbert said, turning his head to look around.

“I know. I was hoping for a little more adventure, but I guess this is better than not going anywhere right?” Anne replied just as the group stopped walking.

“Alright everyone,” the museum tour guide said. “15-minute restroom break before we have lunch.” She smiled.

“Ah thank goodness, finally!” Jerry exclaimed. “I really need to go.”

“Then go!” Anne laughed, sending Jerry on his way. She stood next to Gilbert who was taking his water bottle from his backpack. “You’re not going?” She asked.

“Nah… You?”

“No, don’t really need a restroom break.” She smiled at him. He looked at her and then they talked for a while. As they stood there though, waiting for the break to be over, he decided that he’s had enough.

“I think I’m gonna run.” He whispered.

“What?” the redhead asked, her eyes widening.

“Yeah, I think I’m gonna ditch.” He smiled, cheekily. “When everyone comes back and after the tour guide does her head count, I’m ditching. No one will notice. Do you want to come with me?”

“Gil, we can’t do that.” Anne shook her head. “We’ll get in trouble.”

“Of course we can! Look, you said so yourself that you wanted adventure. We’re not going to have them in here.” He tried to persuade her. “Come on, let’s do something stupid, just something different. It’ll be worth all the trouble.”

“Gil…” Anne said again, thinking about how risky Gilbert’s proposal was.

“Okay, fine.” He said, defeated. “You don’t have to come with me if you don't want to, but I’m still going. There’s so much more out there, I’m not staying here.” He chuckled.

“Okay, is everybody here?” The guide asked and the kids nodded yes. They started walking again, but Gilbert stayed at the very back, Jerry and Anne only a little in front of him. The hazel eyed boy slowed his pace and when the guide made a turn, he ran. Anne looked back and saw him running. It made her stop on her tracks. She couldn't let him go on his own. Not only did she worry for him, she also wanted to take part in his plan. 

“What’s wrong?” Jerry asked.

“You go ahead, I’ll be okay.” Anne said.

“Okay,” the boy said and continued following the guide.

Anne took a deep breath, she couldn’t believe she was going to follow Gilbert. _Screw it,_ she thought and ran as fast as she could.

“GIL! GIL!” She screamed as she approached the exit of the museum. “GIL! I’m coming with you. I'm not letting you go on your own.” She continued screaming. Gilbert turned around and grinned widely.

“I knew you’d come around.” He took her hand and they continued on their way.

“We’re going to get in so much trouble,” Anne laughed when they got to the subway station next to the museum.

“I know.” Gilbert panted. “So, where to?”

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He showed me a side I haven’t seen before. I’ve always thought that between the two of us, Gil was the goody two shoes, but that day I realized he was the type of person willing to step out of the norm for true adventure. I came around because I was worried for his safety since he's never been to Boston before, but I also really appreciated his bravery. I wanted to take part.” Anne Blythe said, smiling softly._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“We did almost get in so much trouble, but it was so worth it. I really couldn’t take another museum trip.”_

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“THEY JUST LEFT ME THERE!” Jerry exclaimed. “Can you believe?!”_

* * *

Anne and Gilbert ended up going to one of Boston’s markets to get some food. They bought donuts and some fish and chips before walking around the area. The weather was so nice, they didn’t regret going out of the museum to enjoy the atmosphere.

They sat in a bench and looked around as the pigeons walked and some younger children ran around with their parents.

“This is nice,” Gilbert said.

“Yeah,” Anne smiled. “Thanks for taking me.”

“Thanks for coming with me. I’m sorry this wasn’t the fun adventure you were hoping for.”

“No, I really like this. It’s more than I hoped for. I had a really good time thanks to you.” She said before putting her arms around him. He hugged her back and he wasn’t planning on really letting go until his phone rang.

“Hello?” He said when he picked up.

“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU GUYS? They’re doing head counts soon in front of the buses, you know.” Jerry said.

“We’re not too far, we’ll come back.”

“Hurry, and you know what, fuck you for leaving me alone.”

“Yeah, love you too Jerry.” Gilbert chuckled before Jerry hung up. “We better get back,” he said to Anne.

“Okay… I wish this wouldn’t end so soon though.” Anne said as she stood up. They started walking and while they did, Gilbert intertwined their hands. Sometimes, it might seem like such an intimate thing to do with friends – holding hands – but for Anne and Gilbert it just felt natural and quite pleasant.

“Well, it doesn’t have to end in Boston. We can do this again when we go back.”

“What do you mean?”

“We can hang out just like this.” Gilbert said.

“Yeah, I’d like that.” Anne smiled. “I mean we do hang out all the time, but it’s never been like this”

“We should get out of our comfort zone. We can take a drive to the beach or take the ferry. We can do whatever, honestly.”

“You’re right. It sounds like it would be nice.”

The boy smiled at her as she pondered about what else they could do together. He noticed that she grabbed his hand even more tightly and even though they’ve done this a million times before, the feeling of comfort never really went away. Gilbert just really liked holding Anne’s hand. 

When they got back to the museum, their classmates were lining up in front of the buses. They ran to bus number 3, where they were assigned along with Jerry too.

“Jerry!” Gilbert called as he and Anne jogged.

“There you are! I can’t believe you guys ditched me alone.” Jerry frowned. “You’re lucky the tour guide didn’t do head counts after lunch and that the teachers didn’t even ask.”

“We’re sorry Jerry,” Anne said.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m sure you are.” Jerry said, squinting his eyes a little. He knew that Anne and Gilbert weren’t sorry at all.

They hopped on the bus, their escape seemingly uncaught and unnoticed by their chaperone teachers. Anne and Gilbert took a seat together and they chuckled over how lucky they were. The redhead took out the paper bag of donuts they bought earlier and gave some of them to Jerry (who sat behind them) as a peace offering. The slightly younger boy took it and ignored the pair for the rest of the bus ride.

“He’ll forgive us, right?” Anne asked quietly.

“I don’t know. We were complete assholes for leaving him behind.” Gilbert asked.

“I honestly didn’t regret it though. Leaving, I mean.”

“Me neither,” Gilbert said as he flashed a smile at her. “Luck must be in our favor tonight since we didn’t get caught.”

“I agree,” the redhead chuckled. “I’m gonna take a nap. I didn’t get much sleep last night. My roommate snores so loudly.”

“Go ahead. I’ll wake you up when we arrive.” Gilbert said. With a nod, Anne dozed off to sleep, her head leaning against the window.

Gilbert spent his time listening to music on his phone. At first, he didn’t realize that the slightly bumpy journey made Anne’s head move a lot. The girl slept like a rock and didn’t notice it either. She just slept through it. However, one bump later, her head was banged a little on the window just in time for Gilbert to turn his head and saw what was happening. Growing worried that his friend might get a minor concussion if that keeps happening, Gilbert took her head and gently leaned it towards his shoulder. She snuggled against him and kept on sleeping.

The physical contact was not unusual. They were quite touchy friends, but this time, after the small escapade they just went through together, Gilbert couldn’t help feeling a little differently for the sleeping redhead. He appreciated the fact that Anne would risk getting in deep trouble to escape with him and that as a result, they actually had the best time. It didn't help that he also found himself not wanting to have shared that experience with anyone else.

_‘Shit,’ he thought. ‘I think I might have_ **_feelings_ ** _.’_

Gilbert tried not to really think about what happened in Boston when they got back to Avonlea, but he did remember telling Anne that they would do it again. Go somewhere and capture moments together. Luckily for him, the summer break before junior year, a music festival was bound to happen. In the end, he bought the tickets with his own savings and told the redhead about it.

“Anne!” He said with a grin when the redhead opened her front door.

“Woah there, what is it?” She asked, surprised.

“I got us tickets. To the festival! The one you wanted to go to.”

“No way! You didn’t.” Anne said, skeptical but excited.

“I did!” Gilbert grinned again, showing her the e-tickets.

“Gil! Those tickets cost a fortune.”

“I have savings. Don’t worry about it. You’ll come right?”

“I will, but only if you let me pay you back.”

"You really don't have to pay me back."

"I won't go then." She said, adamant.

“Fine." He relented. "As long as you’re coming with me. Belle & Sebastian’s playing. They're your favorite!”

“I love them, I can’t wait.” She smiled before hugging him tightly. “Thank you,” she said in the embrace.

“It’s no problem, Anne.” A blush crept onto his cheeks as he hugged her back.

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I thought the feelings would go away, and I didn’t tell her about it because she was my friend. I didn’t want to ruin it, so I just tried to not think about it. But one festival later, that self-restraint for not feeling anything and not telling Anne how I felt jumped out of the window.”_

* * *

The festival was packed with people, young and old, who just wanted to have a good time. Stands of food and merchandises lined up all around the outdoor venue. Anne and Gilbert had never been to these kinds of festivals before, so they went all out on the experience.

They sang, danced, and pigged out on food, that by the end of the night when everyone was sitting on the ground to wait for the grand bonfire to be lit, Anne was lying on Gilbert’s lap, completely drained.

“I might die.” Anne said. “Why did you let me eat so much funnel cake?”

“I told you not to. You wouldn’t listen.” Gilbert replied with a soft chuckle. He sighed, looking up at the sky as it grew darker before looking down at the redhead lying on his lap. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed at peace with her surroundings.

“Thanks for today,” she said. “It’s been really nice.”

“Yeah. Thank you too.” Gilbert smiled at her before pausing for a moment to look at the growing fire. “Anne, I think I have to tell you something.” He added impulsively.

“What is it?” She asked, the bright firelight making the strands of her hair lit a vibrant orange.

Gilbert blinked a few times before saying, “Whatever I’m going to say, don’t be scared, okay?”

“Okay?” Anne smiled, confused.

“I think that lately, I might have been developing romantic feelings for you.” The boy said softly, still looking at the redhead lying on his lap. Her eyes widened, dumbfounded by his sudden confession. “I don’t expect anything from you, I swear. I just wanted you to know.”

Anne sat up, her stomach hurt from all the food she ate, but she had to. “Gilbert…” She smiled. “Are you sure you’re not confused? How do you know they’re romantic?” She asked softly.

Gilbert wondered for a moment. “I’m quite sure they’re romantic feelings because after Boston, I sometimes find myself wanting to be more than friends with you.”

“Oh,” Anne said.

“Please don’t be vexed. You’re my best friend, I just wanted you to know. I share everything with you. And I promise nothing between us will change because I did mean it when I said I don’t expect anything from you. Anything at all.”

“I’m not vexed.” Anne shook her head. “I just feel kind of bad because I’m not sure if I feel the same way. So far, I haven’t had those thoughts. I’m sorry, Gil.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Gilbert chuckled. “I swear, nothing’s changed. And it’s completely okay if you don’t feel the same way.”

“Promise? You’re really **really** okay?”

“I promise I’m **really** okay.” Gilbert smiled before kissing her head. “Come on, let’s enjoy the fire before we have to go home.” He said as the fire lit up brightly in the middle of the festival. Anne moved closer and laid her head on his shoulder.

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Young Gilbert was brave. I mean what kind of person just says that?” Gilbert chuckled. “But I’m a man of my word. I love Anne and our friendship meant more to me than my romantic feelings, so I gladly let it go if it meant she was comfortable. Like I said, caring for her had become second nature that it didn’t matter to me if she returned my feelings. It kind of hurt when she said she didn’t like me back, but at the end of the day, I was just glad that we had each other, that I had her."_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_"Of course, I was surprised by his confession, but Gilbert stood by his word and really didn’t change one bit. He didn’t make me feel bad for not liking him back romantically and there was no petty niceness. He wasn’t just nice to me because he liked me. He never made me feel uncomfortable and he was never childish with my rejection. In a way, that made me realize just how deep his fondness was and how much I actually cared for him in return.”_

* * *

**How Anne fell in love**

True to his word, Gilbert didn’t change the slightest bit. He was as loving and as caring as ever. To Anne, he was just Gilbert. Never once did he act out of the ordinary nor did he make the redhead feel uncomfortable with his feelings. However, now that she knew he saw her as more than a friend, she started to realize just how much she cared for him. In the end, it was Anne who changed.

For most of junior year, the things that she never really thought about before started hitting her like trucks. She found herself more conscious when he held her hand or when she made him laugh. Before, they were just moments between them that passed by, but now, she would often times feel happy, grateful, that she had him to share those with. She'd even find herself daydreaming of what it would be like if Gilbert was the one she had to spend the rest of her life with and she discovered that she didn't mind that scenario at all.

The redhead started to become a little confused. She thought that maybe she was growing to romantically love the hazel-eyed boy, but she wasn’t sure if what she was feeling was love. After a long day of school and a couple of mishaps in the dinner table (that made Marilla scold her), Anne thought that she should seek help. Walking back and forth in front of Matthew’s room, the redhead wasn’t sure if she was brave enough to talk about this conundrum with anyone. She was about to let it go and walk away when Matthew called out to her.

“Anne.” The older man said. “I can hear your footsteps, just come on in.” Anne opened the door gently and walked towards Matthew’s bed.

“Matthew…” She started.

“Is there something wrong? What’s going on?” He asked her softly.

“Have you, uh, have you ever been in love? And no, I didn’t mean a familial or friendship kind of love. I meant the romantic kind.”

“Uhm, Yes, I guess you can say that.”

“What did it feel like?”

“Well, I reckon loving someone is different for everyone, but for me, I just felt safe talking to her. Knowing me, you know that’s a big deal.”

“That is a big deal.” Anne nodded, looking at her guardian.

“Why do you ask, Anne?” Matthew asked, his eyes gentle and kind.

“I think I might be in love. But I’m not sure if it is really love, so I’m a bit confused.”

“What do you feel?”

“I don’t know… We’ve been friends since forever and he’s my dearest confidant. I also don’t get scared when he gets too close. In fact, it actually feels nice. He makes me feel safe and he doesn’t expect too much from me. He just likes me for me, without wanting anything in return. I can tell he’s sincere because he hasn’t changed even when I told him I didn’t like him back that way. He’s not just kind to me because he’s chasing me. He’s just genuinely caring.” Anne paused, looking at Matthew. Matthew nodded, signalling that it was okay for her to continue. “More importantly, I feel that I just want to be with him. I want to be there for him when he has dark days. And every time I see something funny or cool, he’s the first person I want to share that joy with. It makes me happy if I could make him smile or laugh or just be glad.”

Anne sighed, looking down at her fidgety fingers. She didn’t realize that Matthew’s eyes widened and that he was smiling fondly at her.

“Anne, I think that’s love.” He said, patting her shoulder. His words made her look back at him.

“Oh God.” She said. “I’m in love with Gilbert Blythe, aren’t I?” Her eyes were wide as she seemed to finally accept her own emotions.

“I think you are.”

* * *

****

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I told him how I felt for him at school during lunch. I'm sorry to say it wasn’t a romantic scene,” Anne chuckled._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I was grinning from ear to ear when she told me. I never actually thought she would feel the same way.”_

* * *

“Hey Gil.” Anne said, looking at the boy sitting across her. They were eating their lunch outdoors, in one of the school’s wooden tables underneath a sycamore tree.

“Yeah?” Gilbert replied, looking up from his own meal.

“I like you too.”

“What?” Gilbert smiled. “What do you mean?”

“Remember when you told you liked me at the festival during summer break?”

“How could I forget?” He smiled sheepishly.

“Well I like you too.” Anne smiled softly, a small blush crept on her cheeks.

Gilbert let out a deep breath. “You’re not messing with me, are you?”

“No, I’m not.” Anne shook her head.

“SHIRLEY! You’re serious?!” He exclaimed, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“Dead serious.”

Gilbert covered his face, elated beyond belief. “Wow,” he shook his head.

“Is this bad?”

“No, this is the best thing I’ve heard.” He grinned.

“Well then,” Anne said, taking Gilbert’s hand. “You better get used to hearing that because I really like you, Gilbert Blythe.”

“I really like you too.” He replied, squeezing her hand.

“I’m sorry it took a long time for me to realize it.”

“Don’t be sorry. I think it’s actually quite surprising that we ended up here. Who would’ve thought?”

“Not me.” Anne smiled, shaking her head before letting out a sigh. “So, what now?”

“I don’t know. But it’s kinda nice not knowing.”

“Yeah. I guess we'll just see where it goes right?”

“Precisely. We’re going to be just fine.” He said before kissing her hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Here's a short chapter that I hope you like. I'm sorry it's not the best, but hopefully I'll get out of this bad writing groove soon. Take care, everyone. 
> 
> P.s catch the Paul Rudd hot wings reference there? :)


	4. 'My Future Plans'

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“That’s a tough question.” The beautiful redhead chuckled. “I don’t know, I think Gil was the better student between the two of us. He’s really well rounded. He’s not just smart, he’s also really good at everything. Like music for example. You wouldn’t think he’d be a great violinist, right? But he is!”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Anne’s smarter than me, for sure. She was valedictorian in our high school_ **_and_ ** _in university too!” Gilbert said to which the crew responded with stunned ‘woahs’. “Right?! Amazing, isn’t she?” The doctor continued saying with a dopey, adoring look on his face._

* * *

**High School Senior Year - First Term**

“Have you made up your mind yet?” Anne asked as she supported her head on one of her hands. She was looking right at Gilbert who sat across her at the school library. They were using their free period to start answering their _‘My Future Plans’_ worksheet the school’s guidance counsellor had given all the seniors. 

“I think I have, but I’m not sure if my dad will be happy about it. I haven’t discussed it with him.” The young boy said, worried.

“Why wouldn’t he be happy?” She asked, her eyes sympathetic.

Gilbert paused before he said anything. He had thought about his future plenty of times before, but this was his first time conveying those ambitions out loud. Even to Anne, whom he shared everything with, it still felt scary. “Do you remember when I joked around about the prospects of being a doctor?” He asked and Anne nodded. “Well, I wasn’t really joking. I’m really considering taking pre-med. And you know that’s way different from dad’s apple export. If I do this, no one will take over the family orchard.”

“Gil, is medicine what you really want? You’re absolutely sure?” She asked, her eyes excited for Gilbert’s ambition. 

He nodded, “I’m sure. Ever since I read that medical journal about the newest discoveries and technologies in heart surgery, I wanted to learn more about it. It’s so fascinating.” He let out a sigh. “Do you think it’s a bad idea?”

Anne smiled sweetly and shook her head. “Not at all. I think it’s great. If this is what you’re really interested in, you should go for it.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah, and besides, you love and have always been great at science. It makes a lot of sense to me if this is your calling.”

Gilbert smiled at her remark. “Thank you, Anne. I’ll just have to talk to my dad about it.”

“If I know your dad as well as I think I do, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind. But if you’re nervous, I can accompany you if you want.”

He shook his head and flashed her a small smile. “No, I think I should do this on my own.”

“Okay,” Anne nodded, looking back at her own paper sheet.

“What about you?”

“Uhm, I think I might get into English.” Anne said, unsure.

“You seem unsure…”

“Yeah, I, uh, it’s not the major I’m scared of. I actually really want to take English. It’s the job prospects of it. I’m not sure what to do.”

“Well there’s a lot you can do with an English degree.” Gilbert assured her. “Don’t be scared, I think you’d do really well.”

“Should I write English down?”

“I think you should if it’s what you want.”

“Alright.” Anne sighed, but before she wrote anything down she looked back at him again. “What if I don’t get a job though?” She pouted, worry written on her face. Gilbert laughed at her and took her hand.

“Anne-girl, I’m a hundred percent sure you will get a job. A good job.”

“But how do you know?”

“Because I’ve read what you’ve written over the years, and I know your skills are above and beyond. Trust me, it will be okay.” Gilbert nodded with a gentle, reassuring smile on his face.

“Okay, but worst-case scenario and I end up jobless, will your hotshot doctor job help me pay my rent out?” The redhead said jokingly as she chuckled at her own boldness.

Gilbert laughed at his girlfriend and kissed her hand. 

* * *

“Hey there,” John Blythe smiled as he entered his house right after work to find his only son waiting for him.

“Hey dad,” the young boy smiled back, but there was a kind of anxiety in his eyes that the older Blythe noticed.

“What’s wrong, son? Are you okay?”

“I’m okay, how was work? I made stew for dinner by the way.”

“Work was fine,” John assured him as they both walked to the kitchen. “Gilbert, I know something’s up. What is it?” He asked.

Gilbert hesitated at first, but he knew the longer he postponed talking to his dad, the more it’ll be a sore topic. “Nothing’s wrong, depending on how you look at it. It’s just about college.” Gilbert said as his dad took a seat on the kitchen counter chair. The young boy stood in front of him and took a deep breath, “Dad... I was thinking of taking pre-med. I know it’s a stray from the family business, but I really do think it’s what I’m supposed to do.” He gulped. “Are you mad?”

John’s eyes were wide with surprise, but he shook his head. He blinked a few times before he smiled and said, “No, I’m not mad. Just a bit surprised. You never told me you wanted to be a doctor.”

“It’s kind of a recent discovery…”

“How recent, Gilbert?” His dad asked gently.

“For about a year.” The younger boy said softly.

John sighed, “I’m really glad you know what you desire and I support you, truly. I guess, I’m just a bit sad that you never told me about this for a year. I thought you shared everything with me.” He said, half teasing, half sad.

“I do share everything with you, dad.” Gilbert smiled. “Just not this one. I suppose, I was scared of letting you down.”

“You could never do that.” John stood up and hugged his son. “Take pre-med, it’s okay. You know yourself best and if it’s what’s calling you, you should chase it. Don’t worry about the family business, I can manage.”

“Do you really mean that?”

“Yes, I do.”

“Thank you, dad. Thank you so much.” Gilbert hugged his dad tighter and closed his eyes.

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I owe my life to him. Everything I have, everything I’ve experienced, who I am, it’s all thanks to him.” The young doctor said with a gentle smile on his face._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Gilbert's always one to make his father proud, but after getting that green-light, he was even more determined to do so. I think if John was still here today, he would be. I'm sure he always has been."_

_(If John's spirit could give an interview, the older Blythe would say he was always proud of his son. Doctor or not, he's never stopped being proud and he never will.)_

* * *

**Anne’s Letter**

“Gilbert! Gilbert!!!” Anne shouted as she knocked on the Blythe’s front door. John wasn’t home from work yet, so the hazel-eyed boy was the one to open the door. Anne didn’t even wait for him to say hi before she gave him a sealed envelope.

Gilbert’s eyes widened. “Wait, is this?” He asked, to which Anne nodded frantically. Gilbert led her into the house and they stood in the hallway.

“I haven’t opened it. I’m scared.” She said.

“We can open it together.”

“No, you do it.” Anne covered her face.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, her face still covered and Gilbert slowly opened the envelope. One sentence in and he was hopping up and down. He immediately hugged Anne who still had her hands on her face.

“OH MY GOD SHIRLEY! You got in! You got in!” He said, lifting her and spinning her around. “Look,” he said when he put her down. He showed her the acceptance letter. “You got the entrance scholarship too!”

“No way.” Anne smiled.

“YES! You did it, Anne-girl.” He hugged her once more and kissed her head. 

* * *

**Gilbert’s Letter**

A few weeks after Anne got her letter, Gilbert found himself dashing out from his house and into the rain to run to the Cuthberts'. When the young boy saw the pile of letters his dad brought into the house before leaving for work, he immediately left, not even wearing his shoes properly. One of those letters was addressed to him and he knew this was his yes or no moment. He knocked frantically, his clothes wet and cold. Luckily, it was Anne who opened the door. 

“Gilbert!” She said, stepping outside. 

  
“I got my letter.”

“Oh my! What did it say?!” Anne asked, enthusiastic. 

“I haven’t opened it. I wanted to do this with you. Let’s open it together,” he said. Anne nodded and moved closer. 

They read the opening sentences together and the redhead immediately hugged her partner. 

“YES!” He shouted, hugging her back.

“GIL!!!! Congratulations!” She said when they let go. She was looking at him with such marvel in her eyes, that it made him gently grab her cheeks and kiss her. 

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We were so so happy when we got our letters, but at the same time, we also felt a bit sentimental. We understood that we were slowly stepping into the next stages of life and whether we liked it or not, we were growing up. It was tough for me to imagine not being a kid anymore.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It’s kind of a mixed feeling when you realize you’re entering adulthood. The child in you doesn't just disappear, it lingers. I was scared, but also excited. I was proud of Anne and myself, but also worried about letting my dad down. You just don't know what the universe has in store for you."_

* * *

**High School Senior Year - Final Day**

Gilbert and Anne were walking hand in hand to the principal’s office after their last official day of school. The redhead was called earlier that day and without even needing to ask, Gilbert already offered to accompany her.

“Do you think I’m in trouble?” Anne whispered, gripping Gilbert’s hand tighter as they walked together in the hallways.

“Why would you be? You didn’t do anything wrong.” Gilbert smiled.

“Thanks for accompanying me, by the way. You didn't have to.”

“I wanted to. I’m sure it’ll be alright. I’ll wait outside, okay?” He said before they reached the principal’s office. Anne knocked on the door and waited for a signal to come in.

The school was emptying out as Gilbert waited. He started playing with his fingers and he looked around the school hallways one last time. Just a few moments away, they wouldn't be here any longer. Since graduation day was looming closer, Gilbert knew he had to cherish all these little moments and memories before they would all disappear. He’d miss wearing his school uniform and seeing Anne in hers. He’d miss walking with Jerry and Anne around the halls and falling asleep on his desk when the substitute teacher opted to play a movie instead of teaching. He’d miss the sound of people angrily closing their lockers during a bad day. He knew he’d miss feeling like a kid, protected in the small community of high school. Even though high school sucked, he knew that when he looked back, he'd think of all the good instead of the bad. 

He was so lost in his own thoughts, he didn’t realize that Anne was emerging out of the principal’s office with an astounded look on her face. “Gil…” She said. Her soft voice brought him back down to earth.

“Hey, what happened? What did she say? Are you okay?” He asked as they started walking away from the office.

“She just told me that I was valedictorian. That I needed to make a speech.” Anne said, not looking at him. She was still dumbfounded at the news and was trying to process it.

“SHIRLEY! Are you serious?!” Gilbert exclaimed with a huge grin on his face as he stopped her from walking further. “That's great news! I’m so proud of you!” He embraced her and lifted her up. Anne smiled at him.

“You’re not disappointed?”

“Why would I be?” He asked, still grinning. “I already know my girlfriend is the best of the best. It's about time everyone knows it too.”

Anne looked at him, astonished at his comments. He was always so kind and supportive of her. “No, I meant... I thought that you might be disappointed." She said. "You could’ve been the valedictorian. The principal told me you were second.”

“I don’t care about that. Second is fine.” He said, kissing her head. “I’m really happy for you and I couldn’t be prouder. You deserve it.”

Anne looked into Gilbert’s eyes adoringly and she thought about how lucky she was to have him. “I love you,” she said. A year of dating and they’ve never said those words out loud. They always assumed that since they’ve been so close, the other would already know. Of course, they did know, but actually saying it and hearing it said out loud was different. It felt absolutely wonderful.

The curly-haired boy smiled, a blush crept onto his cheeks. “I love you too.” He kissed her on the lips and held on to her closely.

“It’s crazy isn’t it? It’s crazy to think this is our last day on campus.” Anne said when they let go. “We spent so much of our days here.”

“I know... Do you think you’ll miss this?”

“High school sucks, but you know what? I think I will.” The redhead sighed, looking around the now empty school. “How about you?”

“I think that when we look back at high school, we’ll just remember the good moments. And because we had so many, I think I’ll miss it.”

Anne nodded, before looking at Gilbert from from head to toe. “Gil, I know I've never said this before, but you look so handsome in uniform. I’ll definitely miss seeing you in one.”

Gilbert laughed and scrunched his nose in amusement of Anne’s always surprising comments.

* * *

(Anne and Gil's uniform)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short, but happy chapter for you all today! I hope you like it, it's still not the best, but I really am optimistic my writing can be better as we move forward. 
> 
> I also finally figured out the details for future chapters, and let me tell you, this will have its roller coaster. And the ending! I can't wait for you to read it, I was smiling just imagining the scenario for the epilogue.
> 
> (And yes, I want them to wear school uniforms. I think they would look so sweet.)


	5. Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A small collection of Anne and Gil's firsts.

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Yeah, so that was our first ‘I love you’. Randomly in a hallway,” She laughed._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_Gilbert laughed. “Right… All our other firsts… That’s quite a story.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Where do you want to start?”_

* * *

**First Kiss - January 1st (Senior Year, before second term)**

The Baynards always threw the craziest New Year’s Eve parties. All their surrounding neighbors, including those who weren’t The Blythes and Cuthberts would gather in their household and celebrate the festivities till morning. When midnight came closer, Anne and Gilbert were on the porch, watching the collection of fireworks from many different neighborhoods. Some looked further away than others, but they still looked nice. 

The hazel-eyed boy slowly put his arms around Anne’s shoulder as they continued looking up at the sky, the warmth of his embrace was welcomed in the cold January night. That was when they heard the countdown from inside the house starting. 

“Five, four, three, two, one.” Everyone shouted. “HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!” 

They heard the cheers, the sound of the party trumpets, and they looked at each other. 

“Happy new year, Gil.” Anne smiled. Her cheeks were flushed due to the frosty air. 

“Happy new year, Anne-girl.” He replied, looking at her in the most loving way one person could. 

“Will you, um, will you kiss me? It’s new year's after all.” She said.

Gilbert was dazed by her request. “Right…” He said nervously. Even though he wanted to, he wasn’t sure he could live up to her expectations. “Um, I’m kinda scared I’d be bad at it.” 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I remember when I said that I was scared I might be bad at it, she told me that she didn’t care if the first kiss was bad…” Gilbert said in his interview._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_Anne recited the same thing when it was her turn. “… all I want is a collection of great middles and a very nice last. Yeah, I remember saying that...” She smiled._

* * *

Anne smiled at him. “I don’t care if our first kiss is bad. Who cares? All I want is a collection of great middles and a very nice last.” 

Gilbert’s eyes twinkled when he heard what she said. _‘What a wonderful woman, she was.’_ He thought. He took one more look at her and leaned in. When their lips touched, it did feel just a tad odd because none of them had actually kissed anyone before, but it was also nice. Comforting, as if they knew that even if it was odd the first time, they were sharing this with the right person. 

When they separated, the redhead smiled bashfully and looked away from Gilbert. Her cheeks were red and this time it wasn’t because of the cold. The young girl didn’t want him to see her so flustered. She just couldn’t believe she had her first kiss with someone she really loved, but he misunderstood her gesture. 

“Was it that bad?” He asked, his eyebrows furrowed as he panicked. Anne chuckled, shook her head, and kissed him again. Gilbert was surprised by the unexpected second kiss.

“No, it wasn’t bad at all. I was just…” She smiled. “I’m glad my first kiss was you. I got a bit giddy and I couldn’t look at you.”

“Geez, Anne-girl.” He laughed. “ You scared me.” 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_His eyes widened when the documentary crew asked him from behind the lenses, “And has it? Has there been a collection of great middles?”_

_The doctor gulped and with a cheeky smile answered, “Yeah. We’ve had our share of wonderful kisses.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_The journalist’s cheeks blushed as red as her hair when the documentary crew asked her the same question. All of a sudden, all the kisses she’d shared with Gilbert flashed in her head. Some were chaste and sweet, some were so passionate, it led to more than just kissing. “I don’t think Jem would be here if we didn’t get better at kissing.” She said._

* * *

**First Time**

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It was the summer after graduation day, but before we had to move away to the city for university. Aside from getting ready for our move and our summer jobs, we spent a lot of free time together. I remember that this particular day, it was raining, so Anne and I stayed inside.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We were in my room, just watching TV. The weather had a really romantic atmosphere.”_

* * *

**Summer - After High School Graduation**

Maybe it was the hormones, maybe it was the nice atmosphere of the rain, they didn’t know. One moment they were watching a very bad movie and the next moment, they were kissing. Some passionate kisses later, they were lying on Anne’s bed, touching, laughing.

“Is this okay?” Gilbert asked when they stopped kissing. “Are we going too far?”

“No,” Anne shook her head. “It’s not too far.” She continued saying before pulling him back to kiss her again. 

“We can go as far as you want.” Gilbert said, in between kisses. 

“And you’re ready?”

“Yeah,” he said, breathing heavily. Anne smiled sweetly, a soft blush on her cheeks. 

“Okay.” They kissed once more and the redhead tugged on Gilbert’s shirt, trying to get it off. She felt confident and sure, but that surge of courage dissipated as fast as it came when she saw Gilbert shirtless. This was real, this was going to happen, and she didn’t know if she could fully face it.

He was leaning in when she took a good look at him, his hair messy, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes… Oh those loving eyes. He looked perfect, beautiful, kind of like an angel. He was getting closer, but she gently pushed him away.

“I’m sorry…” Anne said, closing her eyes as she sat up. 

“I’m so sorry. Did I do something wrong?” He sat next to her. 

Anne shook her head. “No, you’re absolutely perfect.” She smiled. “Gil, you look like you’re photoshopped.”

Gilbert chuckled at her weird comment. He wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or if it was an insult. “Is that bad?” He asked shyly. 

“No,” Anne shook her head again. “I’m sorry about this. I thought I was ready, but I don’t know…”

“It’s okay, don’t apologize.” Gilbert held her shoulder. “I’m sorry if I scared you. You seem shaken.”

“It’s not your fault. I do feel scared, but not because of you. Never because of you.” She said, moving closer to the boy. 

“What are you afraid of?” He asked softly.

Anne gulped. “Just afraid of the experience, is all. When you took your shirt off, I realized this was real, not just a fever dream. Whatever it was we were going to do, it was going to be something I could remember, feel, and I got a bit scared. I just wasn’t sure if I was ready.” She said. “I know that doesn’t make much sense.” Anne shook her head. 

“No, I think I understand quite a bit. We were quite hasty anyways.” Gilbert smiled. “I don't even have any protection with me.” He sighed. “Anne, I just want you to know that you can change your mind if you’re not ready. You’re safe with me, I promise. Okay?”

“You really promise? You won’t be pissed at me? Because what if we have moments like this again? What if I keep changing my mind?”

“I really promise. I mean, I might get nervous or scared too. I might be the one changing my mind. Would you be pissed if it was me who wanted to back out?”

“Of course not.” 

“See? We’ll be okay.”

Anne smiled. “I was looking at you when you leaned in, how earnestly you were looking back at me. You made me feel safe and cherished, so I hope you know that I’m sure I want it to be you. Just not today. Maybe when we’re ready and not impulsive.”

“I’m glad.” Gilbert smiled, kissing her head.

“You don’t regret it, do you? Being with me, I mean.” She asked, looking up at him. “I know there were so many girls that liked you at school.”

“No… I don’t have any regrets, Shirley.” He smiled at her again, his arms around her. “And you?”

“Like I had any other person chasing me.” She chuckled. 

“I knew plenty of guys that wanted to be with you.” He assured her. “I was just the lucky bastard that actually got your attention.”

She shook her head, laughing. “No, no regrets, Gil.”

There was a moment's silence between them that Gilbert broke with a tender “I love you.”

“I love you too.” The girl replied as she nodded with a soft smile on her face.

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“That was the first time we actually got somewhere, but still, I couldn’t do it. I had to back out.” Anne said. “Gil was really understanding so that was really nice.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I totally get it and to be fair, I was kind of nervous too and we really were impulsive. So, I think it was good that we waited until we were more ready for it. Our actual first time happened after we moved in together for college.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We moved to the city to be closer to our schools and rented a small apartment for the two of us. It was nice, getting to live together._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It wasn’t a special day, I think. We were just hanging out at home.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“We were listening to music in the living room. And I remember what song was playing because it was so nice: the moment I felt really ready. It was empowering, lovely, and to have had him to share that feeling with was incredible._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It was ‘Three Times a Lady’. Romantic, huh?” Gilbert smiled._

* * *

**Spring (Early May)- The end of First Year of University**

Gilbert was playing his violin for fun as Anne watched him play. He always played whenever he had a little break from school and since finals were finally over, he’d been practicing more and more. She always loved hearing him play. He never ceased to play the violin so beautifully.

“That was lovely,” Anne smiled as Gilbert put his violin in its case and sat next to her on the sofa. 

“Thank you,” he smiled back. 

“What piece was that? It was wonderful. Very melancholic.”

“It’s called ‘ _SH_ _ERlocked’_ from-”

“‘ _Sherlock’_?” She cut him off with a grin. 

Gilbert chuckled, “Yeah. I was playing the violin part. Nice right?”

“Yeah.” She nodded before he snuggled closer to her, his arms around her as they relaxed on the couch. 

“Let’s turn on some songs. It's so quiet now that I've stopped playing.”

“Good idea. Which playlist do you want to listen to?” She asked, taking her phone out and connecting it to the TV. She looked at all the shared playlists she and Gilbert made.

“The oldies,” Gilbert said. They closed their eyes as the songs started playing in shuffle, the wistful voice of Lionel Richie echoed in their tiny living room.

**_Thanks for the times that you’ve given me_ **

**_The memories are all in my mind_ **

Anne opened her eyes and looked at Gilbert. He seemed really at peace, his eyes were closed and his face was relaxed. She sighed, feeling a sense of serenity too. She felt safe and warm in the embrace of the only person she’s ever loved this way and it made her feel brave. Anne felt that this may be the time to take this next step if Gilbert wanted to.

**_And now that we’ve come to the end of our rainbow_ **

**_There’s something I must say out loud_ **

“Gil?” She called. 

“Hmm?” 

**_You’re once, twice, three times a lady_ **

**_And I love you_ **

“I wanted to let you know that I’m ready. If you’re ready and if you want to, I’m ready. I’m not scared anymore.”

Gilbert opened his eyes and turned to look at her. “Are you talking about... having sex?” He asked, unsure. 

“Yeah. Only if you are ready.”

“I am.” He nodded, his eyes were tender and kind. Anne felt really lucky to have him to share this experience with. She leaned in so they could share a kiss. 

**_Yes you’re once, twice, three times a lady_ **

**_And I love you_ **

**_I love you_ **

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He was really sweet and kind. I think it was the right ‘first time’. I wouldn't have wanted it any other way.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I couldn’t have asked for a better partner. To be so intimate and vulnerable with someone… It can be scary. But with Anne, it felt right.”_

  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Very short chapter, but I hope you liked it anyways. :))


	6. The Big Question

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“So we lived together for four years and uh… When we reached senior year, I started thinking about our future together more often. I thought about the life we could be living together and sometimes I tried envisioning a future without her, but it never made any sense. So by the time we finished our undergraduate study, I was sure that it was time for me to take a chance and ask her if she was willing to marry me.” Gilbert said with a small smile._

_The crew members were trained and instructed to not show much involvement in this documentary, but hearing those words from Gilbert made some of them squeal. Being on this project was like listening to story time with your friends, in which the Blythes were the storytellers. The team agreed to make sure that they cut the noise out so they wouldn’t lose their jobs. They also reached a consensus that when it came to the Blythes, the couple were impossible to not have a reaction to sometimes._

* * *

Gilbert told his plans to his dad when the couple were back home to visit their parents for the week before they all went together to the city for their graduation ceremonies. John Blythe was getting ready for bed when he heard a knock from his bedroom door. 

“Dad?” Gilbert asked as he peeked his head in. 

“Yeah? Just come on in. You don’t have to knock.” John grinned as Gilbert finally walked in. The younger Blythe pulled a chair and sat next to his dad who was on the bed. “You must be excited to be graduating soon.”

“Yeah…” Gilbert smiled. “Thank you for wanting to come to the convocation. I know it’s quite a trip, but…”

“Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss it for the world! I’m really proud of you. Truly. And that full ride for med school? You’re amazing, son.” John smiled widely. 

“Thanks dad. I’m glad you’ll be there but there’s something else I wanted to talk to you about.”

“What is it?”

“Dad, I think… I think I’m going to ask Anne to marry me.” He said, causing his dad’s eyes to widen. 

“Woah there.” 

“I know it’s insane.” Gilbert stood up. “You think it’s a bad idea don’t you?” He asked, defeated. 

“No, I just, I’m surprised.” John smiled. 

“What do you think?” 

“Well, I don’t know. I’m not the one proposing.” John chuckled. “What do you think? How do you feel?”

Gilbert bit his lip, unsure of what to say. He was feeling so many ineffable feelings. “Living with her these last four years, it just made me so sure. I know we’re young with no certain future, but I feel it in my bones that this is what I want to do, that this is right. I keep thinking about life ahead, and whenever I try to picture a life without her, it never seems right. It doesn’t make sense.”

“So you’re sure this is what you want to do?”

“I’m sure. It’s a conscious choice, dad. I’ve been thinking about it for quite some time actually. Even when I try not to think about it, it pops in my head.” Gilbert smiled bashfully. 

John sighed and blinked a few times. He wasn’t sure how to respond, so he just looked at Gilbert. Seeing the determined gleam in his son’s eyes, John stood up and walked to his safebox. He searched for a velvet box and walked over to his son. 

“Take a look.” John Blythe said with a small smile. 

GIlbert opened the velvet box to see a beautiful ring. “Dad… This is mom’s ring.” His mouth agape.

“Look, if you’re sure Anne is the one for you, go for it.” He said, patting Gilbert’s shoulder.

“I’m sure. Thank you dad.” The younger boy said before embracing his dad.

The next morning, John asked Anne if she could accompany him to the grocery store as a way to distract her so that Gilbert would have some time to talk to the Cuthberts. Gilbert wasn’t going to ask for permission per se, he knew that it was Anne’s decision, but he wanted both of the older Cuthberts to know that he was going to ask their daughter to marry him. 

Gilbert walked to the Cuthberts’ house nervous about how they would react, but a part of him was sure that things would surely fall into place. He knocked on the door. 

“Gilbert!” Matthew exclaimed as he opened the door.

“Hi there Mr. Cuthbert.” He replied with a grin as the older man opened the door wider so he could come in.

“Nice to see you, Gilbert.” Matthew continued saying before closing the door behind him. 

“Nice to see you too, Mr Cuthbert. Are you busy at the moment? I was hoping I could talk to you and Ms. Cuthbert.”

“Oh, not at all. I’ll call Marilla. I think she’s in the backyard. Just take a seat.”

“Thank you Mr. Cuthbert.”

Matthew walked away and soon enough came back with Marilla. Gilbert was still standing, not finding the ability to take a seat until the Cuthberts sat down first. 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I was so nervous, I didn’t think it would be that nerve wracking.”_

* * *

“Is everything alright?” Marilla asked the young boy.

“Everything’s alright Ms. Cuthbert. I uh,” he gulped. “I actually came over to tell you that I intend to propose to Anne.” He said slowly, gently. 

“Oh!” Marilla said. Her brother’s eyes widened in surprise.

“We’re still young, I don’t expect us to get married immediately if Anne says yes, but I do want to ask her this. I’m really sure that this is a step I really want to take if she wants it too.”

“Oh uh, and you’re asking for our permission?” Matthew asked. “I think it’s Anne’s choice.”

“Uhm not exactly Mr.Cuthbert. I know Anne is very self-determining, she would hate it if someone made decisions for her.” Gilbert smiled at the thought of his fiery redhead. “I just didn’t want you to be surprised and I thought it’d be more respectful if you knew that my intentions aren’t a spur of the moment thing. I’ve thought about it for quite a while, I know that I truly care for Anne, and I want to be there for her every step of the way. If she’d have me, I promise I won’t let any of you down.”

Hearing him say those words, the way he lit up just by the thought of her, Matthew and Marilla knew for sure that Gilbert was the right person for their Anne. They looked at each other and smiled, knowing that if Anne said yes, the two would be very happy together.

Marilla looked at the young boy with a gentle expression on her face. “Gilbert, I think she’s going to be very happy when you get down on one knee.”

* * *

**_Marilla Cuthbert_ **

_“I thought it was very dear of Gilbert to tell us of his plans. I’ve always liked Anne and Gilbert together. They’re good for each other. Kind of like two pieces of a puzzle.”_

**_Matthew Cuthbert_ **

_“When Gilbert told us he was going to propose, the moment Anne told me she loved him kept coming back to my head. She’s always her happiest with Gilbert so I was very happy for them.”_

* * *

When they went back to the city, both the Blythes and Cuthberts had dinner together before Gilbert’s graduation day. Anne’s was still a couple of days away. Marilla, Matthew, and John knew Gilbert was going to propose soon, maybe even that night, so they tried their best to stay quiet, but a part of them wanted to shout it from the mountain tops. Before they all separated for the night, John winked at his son while Marilla and Matthew patted him in the back. They also hugged Anne with a gusto, excited for the two kids.

“What a night,” Anne sighed when she and Gilbert finally got to their own apartment.

“Yeah,” he replied.

“Are you nervous for tomorrow?” She asked. 

“More nervous for tonight honestly.” Gilbert smiled at her, his right hand fiddling with the velvet box in his pocket. 

Anne looked at him weirdly. She tilted her head slightly. “Tonight? Why?”

Gilbert took a deep breath and got down on one knee with the open box in his hands. Anne’s eyes grew wide as she saw his gesture and the beautiful emerald ring. “Gilbert…”

“Anne, will you marry me?” He asked, with a gentle smile. His eyes were gleaming with such adoration 

Anne blinked furiously. She wasn’t sure what to say. “Gilbert, I don’t know what to say.”

“I know this is a surprise, but we don’t have to get married immediately. We’re still young, so just consider this a promise.”

Anne sank down to her knees in front of Gilbert who was still on his knee. She sighed, still not having a clue what to say. 

“That’s not a yes, is it?” Gilbert asked.

The redhead quickly retaliated. “It’s not a no, but it's not a yes either.” She sighed again. “Could you please give me some time to think about it?”

“Oh…” Gilbert said. He felt disappointed that Anne still had to think about it. If you really wanted to be with someone, wouldn’t you not have to think about it? Wouldn't you just say yes with no hesitation? He had many negative thoughts entering his head, but he didn't want to wallow, so he said, "Yeah, yeah, sure."

“Gil, I’m sorry.” She said. “I’m sure this is not the reaction you wanted. I swear, I just have a lot of things on my mind and I don’t think I’m in the right state to answer right now. I didn’t want to make a rash decision, that’s all.” 

“It’s fine… Really. I knew there was a fifty percent chance you’d say no.” Gilbert smiled sadly. 

“It’s not a no.” Anne caressed his cheek. “It really isn’t Gil. You might think I don’t care for you, but I do. And again, it isn’t a no. I just need to figure some things out.”

“Okay… Just let me know, okay?” 

“I will.” Anne said, kissing his cheek. “I promise.” 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I was heartbroken. I knew she might say no, but I always hoped she’d say yes. But then she told me that it wasn’t a no, so I just waited and hoped that she might end up saying yes.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I wasn’t rejecting Gilbert even though it might’ve seemed like it. I just wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be ruining our future prospects if I said yes. We were so young, Gil was going to med school, and I only just got a job offer. I guess I was probably afraid things wouldn’t work out if we were too quick about it. Especially since our relationship was doing so well at the moment, I didn’t want it to be jeopardized.” Anne Blythe sighed._

* * *

Gilbert’s graduation went by the next day and it did a good job distracting him from Anne’s pending answer. He was joyous and proud of this milestone. Once the convocation ended, he and Anne hugged each other so tightly, he completely forgot that she had his heart in her hands since the night before. At that moment, he just didn’t care. He was completely content that his hard work the last four years had led to this. 

John, Marilla, and Matthew saw that Anne wasn’t wearing a ring, but they also saw that the couple was beaming at the moment so the three of them got a bit confused. They decided to pretend not to notice anything. 

After Gilbert’s proposal, Anne spent the next couple of days really thinking about her future with the hazel-eyed boy. She and Gilbert pretended as if the proposal didn’t happen and they celebrated his graduation in high spirits. But when the day was over, she’d go back to thinking about her decision. She knew she loved him more than she loved anything or anyone. She also knew she wanted to spend the rest of her days with only him, but she was afraid that things would go wrong down the line. What if they drifted apart? What if she or Gilbert got too busy? Which answer was the right one? Yes or no, there was always the possibility of losing Gilbert, which was something she feared. The negativity got in her head and the conundrum was too much for her to handle. Things only became clear when they were going to sleep the night before Anne’s own graduation ceremony. 

“Anne?” Gilbert called out.

“Yeah?” She said, shifting her position so that she could face him. 

“Tomorrow's your big day and I just wanted to say I’m proud of you. Really proud of you.”

“Thank you, Gil. I’m really proud of you too.”

“You seem... Really distraught. It's a joyous moment, why don’t you seem glad? Is everything okay?” He asked. She was surprised that he could tell she was feeling conflicted and worried. He’d always been the one to understand her most, yet she still found it so amazing how he did.

“Yeah, everything’s fine. Just a lot on my mind.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“It’s about the proposal. Do you want me to discuss it with you?

“Oh… Well, I don’t want to interfere with your decision.” He replied softly before pausing for a moment. “But I’ve thought about it too actually.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I think I’ve made my stance really clear. I’m sure I want to spend my life with you. Good days, bad days, I’m totally in. But at the end of the day, it’s your choice. If you don’t think that it’s the right choice for you, then don’t feel obligated to say yes. Just do what you think is best and I’m sure everything will work out.” He said, looking at her.

“I’m just scared I’ll lose you. Yes or no, there’s always the possibility that we don’t work out and I’m scared of that.” She said. 

“Oh Anne.” Gilbert quickly wrapped his arms around her. “You won’t ever lose me. Yes or no, we will be okay.”

“How are you so sure?”

“I’m not, but considering our history, we always work things out. There will always be problems, fights, hardship. I’m sure that whatever we end up being, friends or partners, it won’t be all smooth sailing. Nonetheless, I think we’ll make it through.”

“You really think so?”

“Yeah.” He nodded. “Now come on, we should get some rest. Just don’t think about it for the next 24 hours. Forget I even proposed.” He said, smiling. “It’s your graduation day, you should be happy. I want you to be happy.”

“Okay.” 

“Goodnight, Anne-girl.”

“Goodnight, Gil.”

Gilbert immediately went to sleep afterwards, but Anne knew that before she could rest, she had to do this one thing. She needed to make a decision. Her conversation with Gilbert made her remember why she loved him so much. She always knew she loved him but sometimes she wouldn’t be conscious of the reason why. His words of comfort reminded her that their bond, their relationship was stronger than the what ifs and the uncertainty of what lies ahead. Her fear and worries had made her forget the fact that they would always love each other even if their romantic relationship didn't work out. They would always have each other, nothing would change that. So what is there to be afraid of? 

No longer in fear, no longer with doubt, Anne was sure that Gilbert has always been and always will be the right partner. She walked over to Gilbert’s dresser where he kept the velvet box. She gently took the box out, opened it, and put on the ring on her finger. She went back to bed, and put her arms around the sleeping boy next to her, embracing him. Anne wondered how she could have ever doubted saying yes. If she could replay the moment he went down on his knee over again, she would make sure her past self would say yes immediately. She loved Gilbert, she wouldn’t want to be with anyone else.

The morning of Anne’s convocation day, Gilbert woke up to an empty bed. He figured Anne was probably awake and getting ready and he found out that he was right because as he went to the bathroom, he saw her already in her dress and was doing her hair. She looked absolutely beautiful.

“You look beautiful.” He said from the bathroom’s doorway. “You’re always beautiful, but…”

Anne smiled, “Today’s a special day after all, I should look nice.” 

“You’re glowing, did you know that?" He grinned wider, his comments making her laugh. “I’m glad if you’re happy.” He said, moving closer to her so that he could kiss her forehead. 

“I am.” She smiled at him. She didn’t say anything about the ring she wore on her finger. He didn’t seem to notice, but she still wanted him to realize for himself. 

Anne got out of the bathroom so that Gilbert could get ready. She took out her shoes and put on her gown and cap. By the time they were preparing to leave for the ceremony, that was when Gilbert finally saw something shimmering on Anne’s finger. 

“Honey?” He called out. “Is that?” He asked, grinning widely. Anne smiled back at him. “Shirley! Is that a yes?!” Anne nodded enthusiastically and he immediately embraced her, spinning her around. 

“I shouldn’t have hesitated, but I’m sure now.”

“You’re really sure? No regrets?”

“None whatsoever,” she said, shaking her head. “Yes, I will marry you. Maybe not soon, I think we still have a long way to go, but it’s a promise.”

“I love you so much.” He said, caressing her cheek. 

“I love you too.” She replied softly. They kissed, her arms around his neck and they giggled like school children when they parted. Even though she was entering one of the scariest stages of her life, she had never felt more at peace. She knew that now college was over, she was going to be thrown over to the real world, but with one hell of a partner aka Gilbert Blythe, she wasn’t so afraid anymore. She wasn't alone, she understood that now.

Gilbert sat with his dad, Marilla, and Matthew for Anne’s ceremony. They cheered and clapped loudly when Anne’s name was called out, and afterwards, once it was over, they finally met up with the redhead again. With one hand holding her diploma and the other intertwined with Gilbert’s, the older trio finally saw that she was wearing a beautiful emerald ring on her finger. The young couple's smiles radiated such joy that John, Marilla, and Matthew would never forget.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love these kids so much, I really hope I did them justice. 
> 
> Not at all realistic cause hell, what do I know about the world? But as long as they're happy, I'm happy. To whoever's still reading this, I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)


	7. Union

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Things took a turn when John got sick. It was so sudden and it happened so fast.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“We found out when I was entering my second year of med-school and he was sick for over a year. Anne was working, not yet internationally like she is now, but we still couldn’t go back home to help take care of dad constantly. It was tough. I wanted to be there for him, but he insisted that I finish school first.”_

* * *

**(The end of Gilbert's second year, John has been sick for a quite a while.)**

“Hey Mr. Blythe.” Anne said as she entered the older man’s room. His nurse, Mrs. Kincannon was making some soup downstairs to allow the two of them some bonding time. 

“Anne, just call me John. I’ve told you that a million times before,” he smiled. The redhead flashed him a smile back, holding his hand. 

“How are you?”

“I’m doing fine, Anne. How are you and Gilbert?”

“We’re well. I’m sorry we didn’t visit sooner. Gil’s finishing his exam and he’ll come here real soon.”

“Don’t apologize. I told him not to come, he should really focus on school.” John said and Anne smiled at him. “How about you? I was surprised when Mrs. Kincannon told me you were here.”

“I took a week off from work. Just a cut from my vacation time, it’s not a big deal. I told Ms. Stacy what was going on so she gave me permission to do so.” 

“You didn’t have to do that.” John Blythe said, touched by her gesture. 

“I wanted to… I know this must not be easy for you.” She said. It hurt her to know that John could barely leave the house now. He was always so adventurous, so full of life, but the sickness had made his formerly vivacious demeanor seem to slowly diminish.

“I’m okay. I’ve lived a good life. I have Gilbert and you, of course. Marilla and Matthew, as well as the Baynards have been so kind too. Mrs. Kincannon has been taking care of me. It’s not easy, but I’m sure I’ll be okay.” He said, patting her hand that was still in his. 

“I’m glad to hear that.” She nodded. “Tell me more,” Anne said.

“About what?”

“About yourself. We've talked quite a lot, but you rarely tell me much about yourself. Everyone has their story, what's yours?” She requested, causing John to chuckle. 

“It’s not as interesting as it might seem, Anne.”

“I’m sure you’re just downplaying it.” The redhead grinned. She looked at him, so much thinner than he used to be, and a part of her sort of knew that it might not be long before John would leave them behind. 

“If you really want to hear it, where should I begin?” John asked. 

“You can start from the beginning.” 

So with a smile, he spent the next few hours telling Anne stories of his childhood, how he met the Cuthberts and that he once fell in love with Marilla. His future daughter-in-law would laugh, smile, and immerse herself in his stories, cheerful at his ups and sorrowful at his downs. He told her about his travels over the world before he decided to take over the Blythe family apple export and settle down with a woman he first met in a coffee shop. He loved Mrs. Blythe more than anyone and they were very happy. He explained how the day Gilbert was born was both the most joyful and most devastating day of his life for he had gained a beautiful son but had lost his beloved wife. 

Stories of his experience with Gilbert brought so much smiles to Anne’s face, she didn’t realize her muscles had started to fatigue. He also told her about how a young, misunderstood, red-headed orphan also came into his life and brought sunshine to the Blythe boys. How she had become not just a friend, but a family member. That made Anne chuckle and soon enough, they reached where they were right now. Not yet the ending, but it seemed to be the penultimate chapter. 

Anne looked at him earnestly and sighed. In contrast to what John believed, his life story wasn’t uninteresting at all. She found it completely fascinating.

“I’ve lived a good life.” He said again like before. “Might not be the most interesting, but it was good. Really good.”

Anne patted his hand. “Thank you for sharing it with me.” 

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“It felt rewarding to know someone and care for them so deeply. After hearing his story, how he was willing to share its entirety with me, I made up my mind.”_

* * *

Gilbert came over the next few days after he finished his exam. He spent most of his time talking with his dad, taking care of him, and making most of the time he had left with the older man. 

On a Wednesday afternoon, when his dad was taking a nap, he and Anne decided to take a walk out in the neighborhood. Mrs. Kincannon assured them that she would still be in the house if anything happened so they could go and just breathe. They took a seat in the neighborhood’s playground where it was empty. Aside from the pigeons flying around, no one was really there. It felt nice, as if it was only the two of them in the world. 

“Gil,” Anne called out. 

“Hm?” 

“Let’s get married,” she said, turning her head to look at him. His eyes grew a bit wide, surprised by what she was saying. “I was talking with your dad the other day and this is such a horrible thing to say, but I think that it might be soon…” 

Gilbert nodded. “I think I know what you mean. I… I kind of feel it too.” 

“Yeah… And I think it would be nice for him to see you get married before he goes. He might really like that. Not to mention, you must want him to be there right?”

Gilbert gave her a small smile. “Of course I want him to be at our wedding. It’s really kind of you to offer this Anne, but I thought we were going to wait until we’re both ready. I don’t want you to do anything just because you feel like you have to.”

“No, no, I don’t feel obligated to do anything. I want this.” She said. “Unless _**you’re**_ not ready. I know you’re still in school.”

Gilbert sighed. “Truthfully, I **_am_ ** a bit scared. We’re not 100% financially secure, but besides the financial aspect, I think I’ve been ready since forever.”

“Really?”

“Yeah… I mean, we’ve been engaged for two years. We’ve been together as partners and friends for much longer than that. I’ve been ready for a long time.” He smiled. “What about you? Are you ready?”

“Yeah. When I decided to say yes, all the fears I had before dissipated quite quickly and after a while, I think I've grown to be even more sure. So yes, I’m ready too.” She said, putting her head on his shoulder. 

“Will Marilla and Matthew be okay with this?” He asked. “I’m sure they’re worried if their daughter marries a med student who’s not completely there yet.”

“I’ve spoken with them about it. They don’t mind at all, they just told me to do what I deemed best. Matthew kept saying that it was my life, not theirs.” She chuckled. “I think they have faith in you, Gil. They're not worried. You’ll get there.” She assured him before pausing for a moment. “So what do you say, Gilbert Blythe?” She asked.

“Let’s do it. Let’s get married.” 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“So we told my dad that we were going to get married, have an actual wedding, and I think he was just so surprised.”_

* * *

“You don’t have to do this because of me.” John said. He was absolutely touched but also guilty. He felt as if he was rushing Anne and Gilbert even though it was his last wish to see his son get married. 

“No, we want to. Really.” Anne assured him. “ We’re ready and we want you to be there.”

“It’s going to be lovely, dad.” Gilbert said with a smile as he held the older man’s cold hand.

John smiled with complete fondness on his face. “I’d be honored to watch you two get married.”

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“A few months after that, we got our marriage licence and it was soon officiated. We had a really small wedding.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It was quite beautiful. The Cuthberts, dad, even Jerry and his family came to the wedding. Anne’s first friends from work, Cole and Philippa were there too.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Gilbert wore an attractive tux and the weather was nice too. Marilla made a delicious cake, there was plenty of food, and we honestly just had the best time!”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Anne bought this beautiful, white dress and when I first saw her walk down the aisle, I was mesmerized. Nervous, but at the same time excited.”_

* * *

Gilbert was breathing in and out, in and out, trying his best to calm himself down before he had to go stand at the end of the altar. He didn’t know why he was nervous because he had never been more sure of his choice in a lifemate. Maybe, he was just anxious that he would let her down, but luckily Jerry was there to save the day. 

“Gilbert, calm down.” Jerry said. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t know why I’m so anxious.”

Jerry gave him a kind smile. “There’s nothing to be anxious about. You’re marrying the love of your life, are you not?”

“Yeah… I am.”

“Your family and friends are here, she loves you back too. It will be okay, man.”

Gilbert nodded. “Thank you, Jerry.”

“No worries, now go stand up. She’ll be walking down the aisle soon.”

“Okay,” Gilbert said. 

As he waited, his hands couldn't stop fidgeting, but when everyone stood up with him for Anne’s entrance, he stopped. She stepped out from the shadows with her arm around Matthew’s and a huge smile plastered on her face. That’s when all the noise in his head grew quiet. He looked at her, how cheerful she looked and how stunning she was, and it dawned on him how grateful he was for this: to share this moment with her and have their loved ones there to celebrate it with them. 

It wasn’t long until Anne reached him and separated from Matthew. She smiled at him and slowly, he took her hand in his. 

“Hi,” she whispered, shy and nervous.

“You’re absolutely beguiling.” He whispered back.

“You are too.”

He squeezed her hand tightly for a moment and they continued on with the ceremony. Through the vows and everything, there were several thoughts that kept repeating in Gilbert’s head like a mantra.

_‘This is happening. We’re really getting married.’_

“I do.” He said with a huge smile. 

_‘This is real. She is real. Beautiful, brilliant, extraordinary Anne is real.’_

“I do.” She said, grinning from ear to ear when it was her turn. Her cheeks were a bit flushed from the atmosphere of the ceremony. It was obvious that without a doubt, Anne was the happiest she's ever been.

_‘I love her,'_ he concluded his thoughts _‘I love Anne and I won’t let her down.’_

“You may kiss the bride.” 

The newlywed couple chuckled at the declaration. Gilbert embraced her close and they kissed with smiles on their faces. Everyone present cheered, but both Anne and Gilbert didn’t even notice them. For a moment there, everything was quiet, peaceful. it felt like there were only the two of them. 

* * *

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“You have no idea how happy I was when those two crazy kids got married. Like, finally! It had been 85 years! I’ve done my waiting. Years of it! In Azkaban!” Jerry joked, laughing._

_**Cole Mackenzie, Philippa Gordon** _

_"They're cute. Really cute." Cole said, nodding. "I remember how cheerful everyone was for the wedding."_

_"I agree, they're super cute. We could see it when they kissed that they were really serene and gratified. It's so nice seeing a young couple be so sure about where they stood." Philippa added._

* * *

Anne and Gilbert stayed at the Blythe house with John when the day finally ended. They were in the living room when they talked that night. 

“Mrs. Blythe. It has a nice ring to it.” Gilbert said. 

“It does sound kind of nice.”

“Are you happy?” He asked.

Anne smiled sweetly at him. “I am. I don’t think anything can top this high I’m in at the moment.”

“Yeah, I think I know what you mean.” He replied before leaning in to kiss her. She kissed him back passionately, lovingly before they separated. Gilbert stood up and put on some music, not too loud so that his dad wouldn’t be awakened.

“Dance with me.” He requested, offering his hand. The song continued playing in the background.

**_But don’t forget who’s taking you home_ **

**_And in whose arms you’re gonna be_ **

**_So darling, save the last dance for me_ **

“Like we didn’t dance enough today.”

“Come on, are you telling me you want it to end?” He asked, raising his eyebrows with a cheeky smile. 

Anne bit her lip, smiling too. She shook her head, knowing that Gilbert was right. “No, I don’t want it to end yet.” She said, taking his offered hand. 

**_Baby don’t you know I love you so_ **

**_Can’t you feel it when we touch_ **

**_I will never never let you go_ **

**_I love you, oh so much_ **

The music played continuously, jumping from song to song, and for the rest of the night, they didn’t stop swaying in each other’s embrace. 

Anne and Gilbert were at their most content and that elation spread to the people around them. There was no way to explain how thankful John was to have witnessed his only son marry the girl he had loved since he was a kid, or how excited Jerry, Cole, and Philippa were to see their friends take this step together, or how proud Marilla and Matthew were for Anne, to see her grow up. It’s nice to be able to bring cheer into the world, but the thing with happiness is, it was like a wheel and like all wheels, it turned. So unfortunately, that euphoria didn’t last very long because just a few months after the two got married, John Blythe was confirmed to have peacefully passed away in his sleep. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is a short chapter, but I hope you liked it! I know my writing is not the best, but I still hope I did them justice in a way. I feel that it's very difficult to transfer the scenarios in my head into beautiful written word, but I'm still trying my best, so bear with me. 
> 
> (They're super sweet in my head, it's so hard to explain it in words hahaha)
> 
> Also, I counted and I think it's decided that there will be 3 more chapters in this fic! I really really hope the journey's been nice to follow so far and even though I'm not the best at projecting my ideas, I promise the end is going to be satisfying (I've planned it all, I just have to write them). If you're still reading this, please stay tuned for the end of this documentary. I'm very excited to share its entirety with you all. :))
> 
> Oh and this fic has officially passed the 100 kudos mark. Thank you so much for that, I really appreciate it!!
> 
> Have a great day and take care everyone!
> 
> p.s the song I inserted there is called "Save the Last Dance For Me"


	8. All Time Lows

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw/tw: bullying

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I guess those are the big moments, the good days.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Of course, we have our bad days too. Days we were sad, days we fought. Everyone has them. We have quite a few lows actually.”_

* * *

**High School - Freshman year**

Anne and Gilbert found themselves at the cinema on a Friday evening after school. They didn’t know what to watch so they bought a ticket for this new Japanese movie they thought would be easy going and fun. Boy, were they wrong. It was a heartwarming movie with amazing animation, of course it was, but the beginning of it got dark so quickly. A young girl was being bullied because she couldn’t hear. Her hearing aid was torn from her ear, she was being left out, she was screaming and crying, and when Anne saw that, she couldn’t help but flinch. Her hand balled into a fist, as if she was trying to defend herself from the world. Anne didn’t think anyone would notice, but even in the dark screening room, Gilbert could tell that the redhead was not doing okay. 

When the movie was over, they concluded that it was a wonderful movie and that they enjoyed it very much, but still, there was an uneasiness that settled in Anne’s stomach. The uneasiness didn’t leave her even when they left the cinema and started walking home side by side. 

“You were really brave.” Gilbert said, reaching out to hold her hand. “You didn’t have to stay, you know. We could’ve left.”

“What do you mean?” Anne asked, confused. 

“I don’t know what was going on inside your head, but I could tell you weren’t really comfortable. I saw you flinch.”

“Oh, that.” Anne sighed. “I didn’t think anyone would notice.”

Gilbert blinked a few times, not sure of what to say. “Well… Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m okay.” She smiled at him, he could also tell that she was faking it. The glimmer in her eyes that would usually show when she smiled didn’t make an appearance at all. 

“You could tell me, if you wanted to. Why you flinched, I mean.”

“Oh… I think you might actually already know the gist of it.”

“How so?”

“My nightmare. From years ago when I was staying over at your place. The movie reminded me of that. The early scenes when she was being bullied.” 

“Oh…” He said. “Speaking of that night, you never actually told me what you dreamt about. To this day, I still have no clue what happened.” He continued gently. 

“Well, it wasn’t just a dream, it was more like a memory.” She replied quickly. “That’s why it was so scary. It felt as if my brain took an already awful memory and theatricalized it into some horror movie when I slept.” Gilbert stayed silent, hoping that she would continue. “When I was in my foster home, I was deemed freaky. The other girls, they would tease me, call me horrible names, and push me around, quite literally. They would push me till I fell, that kind of stuff. It just wasn’t a nice place to be in.” She shuddered. 

Gilbert felt awful when he saw her shudder. “Anne, I apologize. You don’t have to tell me.”

“No… Maybe it’s time you knew.” She sighed. He nodded and she continued on with her story. She explained to him how she was an imaginative person from the start and how others didn’t like her for it. She told him how her dream focused on a memory of the other girls shoving a dead rat onto her face, forcing her to kiss it. She remembered the smell of the decomposing carcass, the fear she felt when she was being pinned down by the other girls. She wasn’t looking at Gilbert so she didn’t know that he was wincing as he listened to her story. He thought about how rotten those other girls were to treat a fellow person like that and it was Anne of all people! Not that any kid should be treated that way, but Anne? Brilliant, wonderful Anne? How could they look at her and not grow to care for her like he did? He never thought it could be possible. 

By the time she finished, they both had goosebumps covering their forearms. Anne wanted to cry, but she figured there was no use in that. She was stronger now, braver… She shouldn’t cry. 

“Anne, thank you for sharing that with me. But I do have to ask, why haven’t you told me this before? It’s horrible to dig up, but I can’t imagine having to keep all that to yourself. I just, I can’t imagine how you feel having to face that memory all alone. I could’ve helped you with it. 

She stopped on her tracks. “Gil, I wanted to tell you. When I was staying over with you and your dad, I really did want to tell you guys and just let it out, but it’s a scary memory and I guess, I just didn’t want to relive it. It was too raw that night, so I just didn’t say anything.” Gilbert stopped walking too and looked at her. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes sad. Anne sighed and continued saying, “And after that night, every time I wanted to talk to you about my past, I just backed out. I was afraid that if you knew my story, if you knew how others perceived me, you would’ve changed your mind about me. That you would see me differently… I assumed that I would’ve lost you as a friend.” 

“That would never happen.” Gilbert shook his head. “You’re my best friend. I would never be as stupid as to let other people affect how I see you.”

“I know… That’s why I’m telling you now. I’m-” She sighed. “I’m not scared of that anymore. I trust you.” 

Gilbert smiled and went over to embrace his friend before they continued walking home hand in hand. He silently swore to himself and the girl beside him that he would never ever let her forget how loved she was now. To him, she was the quintessence of everything iridescent and beautiful. She deserved to be treated as such.

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Even after that, until now actually, I still have nightmares. They come around once in a while, but with Gilbert in my life, they never seem so scary anymore. I don’t feel that I have to face it alone.” She said, her expression seemed to be at peace._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I made a silent promise to Anne that night. It only grew stronger over the years after I realize that loving Anne is easy. It’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done, falling in love with her. Making her understand how loved she is after all she’s been through, that’s the tough part. But hey, I have the rest of my life to keep reminding her.” Gilbert smiled lovingly._

* * *

**_3 months after the wedding_ **

Anne woke up in the middle of the night when a noise surprised her. She went out of the bedroom to find Gilbert crying in the living room of their small apartment. She had seen him cry before, especially this last week after they heard that John had passed away, but not like this. She hadn’t seen him like this. He was downright sobbing. 

“Hey… Hey…” She said, holding him tight. “It’s alright.” She continued saying as he grabbed onto her, latching on like a child. In a way, he did feel like a lost child. He seemed desperate, devastated beyond relief and Anne couldn’t help but shed a couple of tears too. She knew it was about John, his death still destroyed them even though they both knew it was going to happen. In that moment though, Gilbert was the one who needed her, so she had to be strong.

They stayed like that for a while, just holding on to each other until Gilbert calmed down a bit. 

“I’m sorry.” He said. “I just miss him.”

“You don’t have to be sorry about anything. I understand… I miss him too.”

“He gave me everything. Even after he passed, he’s still giving me everything. His will, Anne. I don’t deserve it. I don’t deserve any of this.”

Anne knew that Gilbert had been surprised when John’s lawyer recently called to discuss John’s will. The older Blythe had sold half of the family Orchard’s ownership to Jerry’s older brothers. They had been the one taking care of the apple export with John ever since Gilbert decided to pursue medicine, but John had left his half to Gilbert. Not only that, he had left all his savings, assets, and the house for his son. All of it. John even gave Gilbert a letter that told him he was free to use and manage all the assets as he deemed best. It had made the aspiring doctor feel so useless, so undeserving of all the things he was getting. He never really said it, but he just thought of himself as a disappointment, a leech, and the self hatred was starting to eat him alive. 

Gilbert blinked a few times before he sighed. “Is it pointless?” He asked.

The redhead was confused, “What is?”

“I left the family business so that I could be a doctor but I couldn’t even save my own father. My mother died because of me too and no one could save her, not one doctor.”

“Gil… Don’t say that.”

“Maybe I should give up being a doctor. I don’t… I don’t see what good I can bring. I’m just useless.” He said, solemn and without much thought. 

“Hey!” Anne held his hands. “Medicine may have failed your mother and father, but you did not. You did not fail them. Do you understand me? Someday Gil, someday people will come to you with their own mothers and fathers and even though yours have passed, it doesn’t mean that theirs couldn’t be saved. You cannot give up, not when you have so much to offer.” She said and he finally looked at her, his eyes still watery. 

“I’m not entirely sure about that. I don't know if I could do that.” He replied softly. 

“I'm sure. I know you can, and if I know John as well as I think I do, he had the utmost faith in you.” She held his cheek and slowly caressed it. “It’s unrealistic to say you could save everyone, but it’s even more of a loss if you give up now when there are plenty of people that you could help.”

Gilbert sighed and Anne came closer to hug him. “You are wonderful, Gilbert Blythe. You really are. Don’t forget that.” She said. He snuggled against the crook of her neck and muttered a small thank you. 

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He was really on the brink of quitting and the worst part was, it wasn’t because he was failing at the process. He was actually doing really well at med school. I think he just felt a little lost and insecure.” Anne looked down. “It’s heartbreaking seeing your partner so lost, it really is.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I don’t know what I would’ve done if we didn’t talk that night. All I know is, I would’ve spiralled down a black hole if it weren’t for Anne. I was at my lowest, I just wasn’t thinking. I know now that my dad would be so ashamed if I did quit, I don’t understand why I didn’t see it at the time. Grief and self-doubt can really twist your mind, I suppose.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He did manage to get back on his own and I was so proud of him for that. John would’ve been too.”_

* * *

**5 months before the events of Gilbert “my wife” Blythe**

At this point, Anne was already traveling for work vigorously. She had been promoted a couple of years before and now focused on international news, some of them even investigative and would take months to finish. 

The redhead was in the kitchen drinking tea with Gilbert when she said, “I’m flying again soon.” 

“Really?” Gilbert asked. He looked at her and he started to have mixed feelings. He felt a huge pang of worry because she still looked exhausted from her last trip. He also felt that the selfish part of him wanted her to stay longer before she had to go away again.

“Yeah, they just told me this morning.” 

Gilbert gently put his mug down. “Anne, don’t you think you’re spending too much time abroad? You’ve only just come home…” He asked softly. 

She didn't know what came over her, but she suddenly felt irritated. There might’ve been a misunderstanding between the two when Gilbert asked her and she just became somewhat defensive. “Gil, we’ve talked about this before.” She sighed. 

“I know, I just, maybe you can ask for less time abroad?” He suggested. 

“Gil, this is my job! And you know that I have a boss who also has a boss. It’s not that easy. If they need me overseas, then I go, no questions asked. Asking for less time abroad will threaten all I’ve worked for. You should understand more than anyone how hard I’ve worked for this.” She said, her voice growing just a little bit louder. 

“Anne, you were gone ten months out of the year last year! You’ve just come home from a month-long trip and now you’re going away again.”

“So?”

“Ten months Anne! That’s only last year. The year before that, eight months back to back from Vietnam to Cuba to Morocco. What’s next? A year? Two years?”

“Well, what do you want me to do? Quit my job? Jeopardize all of it so that I can play perfect domestic house with you?” She asked spitefully. 

Gilbert was hurt, really hurt if he was being honest. “Oh that’s not fair. You know I’ve never asked and am not asking that.”

“You know I’m not one for that ideal. I like traveling Gil, I like my job, and I have stories to tell!”

“For fuck’s sake Anne, I know that!” He shouted. “But it’s not just about our marriage. I mean look at yourself! You’re exhausted.” 

“Fuck.” Anne said, turning around, her hands were holding onto the edge of the kitchen sink. She realized then how she had misunderstood Gilbert. There was a silent pause between them, none of them could look at the other person. Anne took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have lost my temper,” she said, still not looking at him. 

“I’m sorry too. Look Anne, we might’ve just had a misunderstanding. I’m not trying to hold you back, I swear. I’m proud of you and what you do. I just, you seem worn out and I was worried.” He said before they were quiet again. Anne finally turned to look at him. “Anne, I know I can’t give you the whole world. I know our marriage might not be as rewarding as traveling all over the globe. But I love you… That might not mean much compared to a lifelong adventure, but I do. I’m worried about you and I… I miss you.” He said, almost discouraged. 

“Thank you for worrying about me,” she said softly. “But I’m okay. It’s just something I have to do.”

“Okay.” He said before pausing. He looked around the kitchen, feeling awkward and disheartened. “I have to get up early tomorrow, so I’ll just go…” He said, but just as he was about to leave, he felt Anne’s small hand holding his forearm. She pulled him close and hugged him tightly. She didn’t say anything, she just kept on holding him, burying her head in the crook between his neck and shoulder. He stood there rigid, his mix of anger, sadness, and worry not letting him succumb to the display of affection. He thought she might let go soon, but she didn’t. 

Realizing that she might go away again soon and how much he’d regret not holding her tight when he had the chance, he closed his eyes and looped his arms around her. He held her close, trying his best to remember this moment, this feeling of warmth. 

“I love you.” She said softly. “You might think it’s easy for me to leave you, but it’s not. As much as I love traveling and writing, you matter more to me. Please don’t think otherwise. I do love you.” 

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“That was our biggest fight. We argue a lot, but it’s usually about small stuff. If I forget to put a dirty dish in the sink, for example, or if Gil forgets to put the toilet seat down. We’ve never fought like that before. It was unnerving.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“That actually happened before the start of these documentary interviews. Now you know why I was both so scared and excited to see her again after four months of her being away. One would think that a trip after a big fight like that would make our relationship more tumultuous, but when I saw Anne_ **_smiling_ ** _and jogging towards me at the airport, my heart just soared.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“It would seem like I was running away. I mean, going away after a big fight? It did seem like I was fleeing, but I meant it when I said that it was just something I had to do. I love my job, but seeing Gilbert’s face again in person after being away? Nothing beats that.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter. We're so close to the end, I feel so sentimental over this au's Anne and Gil at the moment. :(
> 
> I apologize if the timeline is not too clear. I know the format's kind of back and forth, so I'll draw an overall timeline soon for anyone who's confused. 
> 
> Happy chapter next with married shenanigans. Stay tuned! :D
> 
> p.s The Japanese movie Anne and Gil watched is called "A Silent Voice". It's really good but damn, it broke my heart.


	9. Everything Nice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Snippets of their day to day shenanigans

  * **"Honey"**



_**Gilbert Blythe** _

_“Anne-girl, Shirley, Honey, my love, I have a lot of nicknames for Anne. And of course, Carrots, but let’s not repeat young Gilbert’s mistake again.” Gilbert grinned._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I just call him Gil.” Anne shrugged. “Oh, and honey, I guess.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“No, besides ‘honey’ the others don’t have a specific origin. They just came around, but honey… That’s a story.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_Anne chuckled. “At first, we listened to it being used by a youtuber and her fiance. They always say ‘honey’ in their videos. They’re not cheesy at all, they’re actually really amusing, but the person that really got to Gilbert was ‘Frozone’ from ‘The Incredibles’.” The redhead said, shaking her head in amusement._

* * *

**University - 3rd year**

“Honey! Where is my supersuit?” Frozone screamed.

“What?” His wife responded. 

“WHERE. IS. MY. SUPERSUIT?” He repeated, causing a small argument with his wife.

“Greater good? I am your wife! I’m the greatest good you are ever gonna get!”

Anne and Gilbert laughed loudly as they watched one of their favorite childhood movies. 

“Hey Anne?” The young boy called out.

“Hmm?”

“How would you feel if I called you ‘honey’?”

“I don’t know..."

“We’d be just like _Stephanie Soo_ and _Stephiance_.” Gilbert joked. 

“They **_are_ ** really funny.” Anne agreed, chuckling lightly.

“It’s a nice nickname, no?” 

“I guess so. But I don’t know Gil… Just stick to Anne.”

“Alright,” Gilbert said, but he was smiling because he had a plan. 

* * *

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Little did I know back then that Frozone’s wife’s name is actually Honey. I really did think it was a nickname.” He laughed. “But anyways, even though she told me to stick to Anne, I had to incorporate ‘honey’ into our lives. I just had to.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He’s a little_ **_*beep*_ ** _isn’t he?” She joked, laughing with the crew. “It did grow on me though.”_

* * *

“Honey!” Gilbert shouted as he entered their bedroom.

“What is it Gil?” Anne said getting up from the bed. She was asleep, but Gilbert just had to wake her up. 

“I wanted to make you a surprise breakfast, but I couldn’t find that thing.”

“What thing?” She asked.

“That thing…” He repeated, not knowing what it was called. For someone so smart, he can be really dumb at times too. He made a mixing gesture and Anne chuckled.

“A whisk?”

“No, I know what a whisk is. The other thing.”

“Oh! You mean a spatula?” She asked again, walking to their small apartment kitchen with him.

“Yeah, I don’t know what it’s called.”

Anne shook her head and started looking at the upper cupboards. She took the spatula and gave it to Gilbert. “Is this it?”

“Yeah!” He grinned. “This is called a spatula?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh! You see, that’s the thing! The spatulas we use in science labs are so different, I wouldn’t think this is called a spatula.” Gilbert said, holding the utensil.

“What were you making anyway?” Anne leaned on the kitchen counter.

“I was planning on making pancakes.”

“You don’t need a spatula to make pancakes.”

“Well then, maybe I just needed a reason to wake you up and call you honey. Anyways, now that you’re up, what do you want to have?”

“Let’s have eggs instead.” She smiled. 

“Okay, honey, whatever you want.”

“Stop calling me that.” Anne said seriously, looking at him. 

“Honey.” He repeated, smiling cheekily. The redhead had a soft spot for his cheeky smiles so she chuckled and shook her head again, feeling both amused and annoyed. 

* * *

Gilbert continued incorporating ‘honey’ in his day to day vernacular and at first Anne would continue telling him to stop, but the more he did it, the more it became a habit. She couldn’t stop him. 

He would say a bunch of things like: 

“ **_Honey_ **, let’s go out tonight.” 

“ **_Honey_ ** you look beautiful!”

“I’m gonna go, bye **_honey_ ** see you later.”

“That was the saddest commercial I’ve ever seen. Don’t you think, **_honey_ **?”

“Here **_honey_ **, take my sweater.”

Or sometimes, it would just be, “ **HONEY!”** if he was surprised or shocked by something Anne did. 

After a while, it seemed that Gilbert’s habit rubbed off on her unknowingly. To their surprise, Anne started to use ‘honey’ too. It was late in the evening when Anne first used it. She was supposed to meet up with a schoolmate to prepare for her end of year presentation.

“Right, I have to go. I’ll see you later, **_honey_ **.” She said, grabbing the unit’s keys. 

“Wait!” Gilbert said, holding her hand. A grin was displayed on his face. “Did you just call me ‘honey’?” He asked, teasing the redhead.

“No, I didn’t. I said ‘Gil’ didn’t I?” She asked. She didn’t seem to notice her slip of tongue.

“No you didn’t. Oh my goodness, you finally said ‘honey’!” Gilbert danced. 

“Haha, very funny.” She said sarcastically. “I’m sure I didn’t say ‘honey’.”

“Whatever you say.” He said in a singsong tone. 

“I really have to go.”

“Okay, okay, goodbye.” He said, kissing her cheek before she left. 

They didn’t talk about it until Anne repeated the same mistake again. And again. And again, until it wasn’t a mistake anymore. 

“Honey! You scared me!” She screamed when Gilbert surprised her after school. 

Gilbert’s mouth opened, not even caring that the surprise worked. “Anne, that’s the fifth time you slipped out ‘honey’. Just admit you like the nickname.”

“I did say ‘honey’ this time, didn’t I?” She asked, finally admitting defeat. Gilbert nodded with a satisfied smile. “Fine, you win. It obviously grew on me. My subconscious must’ve liked it.” She continued saying, embarrassed. 

Gilbert smiled and happily came over to embrace her tight. “I’m really glad it did. It’s such a fun nickname.” 

* * *

  * **Home**



“Anne-girl, where are you taking me?” Gilbert asked, looking at Anne who was driving. She had surprised him after work and picked him up from the hospital for an impromptu drive up north. 

“Just wait and see. Oh, and put these on.” Anne replied, tossing a blindfold to Gilbert. 

“Are you… going to do something illegal?” He asked.

She chuckled, “No… Nothing of the sort.”

“Okay, okay fine.” He said, taking one last look of the trees they were passing by. 

“We’re getting close, just put the blindfold on. I promise nothing bad is going to happen, okay?” She assured him.

“I trust you.” He smiled, putting the dark fabric on. Everything became pitch black for Gilbert and true to her word, they were close to their destination. He could feel the car stop and they both got out of the vehicle, Gilbert doing so more slowly than his counterpart. 

“I got you.” He heard Anne say as she held his hand to lead him. They only walked a couple of steps before Anne opened the blindfold for him. “So… What do you think?” She said, with a wide smile on her face. 

“What’s this?” He asked, looking at a small house in front of him. 

“Well, it’s a house dummy.”

He chuckled. “Yeah, but what are we doing here?” He said before dramatically gasping. “Are we breaking and entering?” 

Anne grinned and shook her head. “No, I have the keys. Let’s go inside.” She said, taking his hand again and pulling him into the house. She turned on the lights and turned to look at Gilbert. “It’s nice, no?”

“It’s very nice.” He smiled. “But how-” 

The redhead cut him off before he could even finish asking his question. She knew he was confused. “Do you remember Mr. and Mrs. Lynde?”

“Yeah, of course I do.”

“Their son, Jacob, the house is his. He’s selling it and allowed me to borrow the keys for today.”

“And what you’re saying is…” Gilbert smiled. 

“This could be our house if we wanted it to be. I know it’s a bit far from downtown, but it’s not as expensive as living there. Plus, Jacob really said that he wouldn’t mind lowering the price offer since we were neighbors. I checked the whole house and it’s completely fine, everything’s working, no mold and such. I also counted, and we could actually afford it. Money’ll be tight for a while, but it could work out.” She rambled in effort to stop herself from all the nerves she was feeling. “So, what do you say?” She asked.

“Show me around the house first.” His smile didn’t fade away and his reply made Anne more optimistic. She pulled him and they walked around the tiny house. It was nice, cozy, with all the amenities fit for a small family, and since it was just the two of them, it was better than what Gilbert and Anne could imagine. With slight changes here and there, it could really be a home. 

“The second floor is really small, but it’s nice too,” Anne said, going up the stairs. “There’s only a bedroom and a bathroom there.” They entered the bedroom and as Gilbert looked around, the redhead sat down on the floor. He followed her actions soon after. 

“Tired?” He asked. 

“No, just nervous.” She smiled timidly. “So, what do you think?”

Gilbert turned his head to look around again. “I think,” he said, looking back at her. “This could be our home.”

The redhead grinned widely, “Really?”

“Yeah. We have savings and with some funds from dad’s will, I think we can actually afford this place.”

“We don’t have to do that. I know you always feel awful using money from John’s will.”

“I’ll get it back after a while. I’m still in my residency, but I’ll repay for it.” He gently took her hand to reassure her that it was fine. “Anne, this is a home. It’s worth it and I’ll work hard for it.” 

“I will work hard too. It’s **ours** , no?” She said, caressing his hand that’s intertwined with hers gently.

“Yeah… It is ours. And what a beautiful home it will be.”

Anne nodded, “It’s a yes then?”

“Yes, absolutely. We have to meet Jacob and talk things through, but if all is good to go, then we’ll definitely buy this place.”

“Okay,” she said, her face still showing how she was overflowed with joy.

“We can finally move out of our tiny apartment.” Gilbert chuckled. “It’s just so tiny.”

“I know, it’s so tiny.” She laughed before she kissed his hand.

* * *

Jacob was so glad that he could sell the place to people he trusted. With a slightly lower price point than he would offer other people, Anne and Gilbert purchased the lovely house and made it into a home. They liked the overall simple design Jacob had left them with and decided to change it up a bit to suit them more. Gilbert got Anne a beautiful bookshelf for her to fill their favorite books in and they decided that they were going to put it in the living room (once they finished building it). 

After multiple trips of moving boxes and what seemed to be endless hours of building the damn bookshelf, Anne and Gilbert finally finished and laid down on the floor. Exhausted, they just looked at each other and laughed. 

“I can’t believe we actually did it.” Anne said. 

“Build a bookshelf?” 

“What?” She chuckled. “No! I mean, we actually got a place, Gil.”

“Yeah… We really did it, didn’t we? No more rent and everything. We exchanged that for mortgage."

“We’re going to have to work our asses off to get all the money we used from the will back.”

Gilbert shuffled closer and kissed her head. “Yes, that’s true. But it’s worth it.”

She smiled at him and paused. As she observed the softness of his face in that moment, she said, “I don’t think I’ve ever been more in love with you.”

“Yeah?”

“I mean, you really did ‘Bob the builder’ that bookshelf for me. You’ve always known how much I’ve always wanted a gigantic bookshelf.” She said, making him laugh. “But on a more serious note,”

“I think I understand,” he said softly. “You don’t have to explain… I love you too. I’m glad we did this together.”

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“It was the loveliest feeling, lying down there in the living room with Gil after all that moving.” She said, not looking at the camera nor the crew. She was busy reminiscing how she felt at the moment, and quite frankly, she would rather keep that wonderful feeling to herself. Anne had never felt warmer than she did when they lied there in a living room they could really call theirs. Sometimes she thinks that she was happier then than she was at the wedding._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It definitely isn’t wise to have a kid when you’re still coming up with money for the house you just bought. But still, I don’t regret it one bit. It’s definitely a home to keep. In the few years we’ve lived here, we’ve already made so many amazing memories. I can’t imagine what the future will bring.”_

* * *

  * **Jerry and Gilbert's Night Out**



“Jerry, why am I here?” Gilbert asked as they both took a seat at the pub’s bar table. 

“Why? I can’t hang out with my best friend?” Jerry said ordering drinks for both Gilbert and himself.

“That sounds suspicious.” 

“Fine. I was really hoping you’d be my wingman, that’s all.”

“Okay? How do you suppose I do that? I’m not really a casanova, you know.” 

“Shut up, you’re a lady magnet. They always come to you, you do realize that.” Jerry said before sipping his drink. “Once they see your wedding ring though, they move on to the next best thing. In this case, me.”

Gilbert scoffed. “Jerry, that’s just…”

“I know, it’s sad.”

“No, it’s not sad, but it’s degrading. Why would you do that to yourself? You should be someone’s first choice, not a backup plan.” Gilbert looked earnestly at his friend who sat beside him. 

“Easy for you to say. You have Anne who’s completely head over heels for you. It’s different for the rest of us.” Jerry shrugged, his usual cheerful demeanor gone. “I’m just so lonely.” He said before taking another sip of his drink. 

The doctor sighed, not knowing what to do. He downed his drink too.

“How do you do it?” Jerry asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You and Anne, what happened there? I've seen you two through it all and I know you always acted like lovers even when you weren't, but I just keep feeling like I missed something. How did you find love?”

“I’m not entirely sure either. Truth be told though and I mean no offense Jerry, but I think it all happened because Anne’s **my best friend**.”

“Full offense, but go on.” Jerry said, feeling mocked that he wasn't Gilbert's best friend. 

“I don’t think we found love. I suppose, love was the one that came around and lingered because we **_were_ ** friends. It was easy for me because we had plenty of time to get to know each other and to grow to care for one another. Honestly, I don’t know how we did it, it just happened. I think I was just lucky, Jerry.”

“Yeah… I guess you are lucky. But it’s not just that though? You’re not as perfect as you guys seem, I’m sure.”

“Of course we’re not. We have our fair share of flaws and problems, ups and downs too.” He said, looking forward and taking a sip.

Jerry looked at Gilbert in awe. “I hope you won’t think I’m rude, but do you ever regret not being with other people?” His question made Gilbert turn to look at him. “It’s only been Anne, right?”

“No, I don’t regret it.”

“You’ve never considered anyone else?”

“No,” he shook his head. “I’m really really happy, Jerry. Trust me, I’ve had people telling me to go out there and try being with other people. Anne’s heard the same things too. We’ve heard lectures of settling down so young before giving ourselves a chance to meet other people. But until today, I’m still glad I didn’t listen to them.” Jerry nodded at Gilbert’s remarks. “That’s why, don’t be anyone’s second pick. Anne and I have always been each other’s first choice. So, don’t degrade yourself, you don’t need a wingman. All you need is to meet a kind person.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“I know I am,” Gilbert said, raising his glass. Jerry clinked his own with Gilbert’s and they took a sip together. That’s when the bartender gave Jerry another glass. 

“I didn’t order this.” The nurse said.

“Oh yeah I know, the lady in blue sent it.” The bartender said pointing at a table in the back.

“Are you sure it’s for me and not my friend?” Jerry asked, pointing at Gilbert who turned around and was looking at the lady in blue.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” The bartender replied with a smile.

“It’s definitely for you, Jerry.” Gilbert smiled. “She’s definitely looking at you.” He said, turning back around to look forward at the bartender.

“Oh wow.”

“See? You don’t need a wingman.” Gilbert patted his shoulder. “Go talk to her. I’ll pay for our drinks and then I’ll head home.”

“Are you sure?”

“Positive. She seems nice. Just be careful, okay? Go ahead.”

Jerry stood up and took the drink the lady in blue sent him before he started walking away. He was only a few steps away when he turned back. “Gilbert?”

“Hm?”

“Thanks.”

Gilbert didn’t say anything and just smiled. The nurse walked away and greeted the beautiful woman. She greeted him back warmly. With one last look at his friend, Gilbert paid for his and Jerry’s drink before he left the pub.

* * *

  * **The 'hot' Resident**



**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I did not know that.” She said in the interview room with a huge grin. “Am I surprised? Not really. I do find it kind of… I don’t know, why ‘hot’? Why not ‘handsome’? He’s not tea!” Anne laughed._

**_Diana Barry_ **

_“It was Charlie.”_

**_Josie Pye_ **

_“Charlie.”_

**_Ruby Gillis_ **

_“Definitely Charlie.”_

**_Jane Andrews, Moody Spurgeon_ **

_“Charlie.” They said at the same time._

**_Jerry Baynard_ **

_“Charlie started it.”_

**_Charlie Sloane_ **

_“It wasn’t me. It was my patient. He was 13 and he was the one who asked me about Gilbert. I was taking him in his wheelchair and Gilbert walked by us. You know Gilbert's a friendly guy, so he said hi and talked with my patient too, but he’s also very attractive. My patient asked who he was, I told him that Gilbert’s a friend and a fellow resident, so my patient started calling him “the hot resident”. I didn’t start it, I just spread the word. Now almost everyone around calls him that.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I feel flattered? But damn, Charlie, I’m not tea!”_

**_Tillie Boulter_ **

_“So there are two sides. One is the ‘hot resident’ group, the other is the ‘my wife’ group. People who don’t know Gilbert well, they call him the ‘hot resident’. The rest of us who actually are close to him or have worked with him, we’re on the ‘my wife’ side.”_

**_Winifred Rose_ **

_“I was definitely on the ‘hot resident’ side before. But now, I call him ‘my wife Blythe’ because once you are close friends with him, he doesn’t stop talking about Anne. He really doesn’t.”_

**_Diana Barry_ **

_“For example, my patients would probably call him ‘the hot resident’, the famous ‘hot resident’ everyone else has been talking about. Gilbert’s patients, patients who actually talk and interact with him would not call him that.”_

**_Bash Lacroix_ **

_“Oh yes, I’ve seen Gilbert with his patients. He talks about Anne with them too. I’m pretty sure he just bombards people with his love declarations for Anne. I’m surprised none of his patients have complained.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Well, they asked me about my ring. So I told them I was married and then they asked me about Anne. I don’t just run up to people and tell them about her.”_

**_Josie Pye_ **

_“Which nickname do I like better?” She thought about it for a while and then said, “Gilbert ‘my wife’ Blythe.”_

**_Mary Lacroix_ **

_“‘My wife’ for sure. It’s funny, no?”_

**_Diana Barry_ **

_“‘My wife’ cause now that I’ve met Anne, him talking of her all the time makes more sense. The nickname suits him.”_

**_Ruby Gillis_ **

_“‘My wife’ because those of us who are actually_ **_close_ ** _with Gilbert call him that. It's like a privilege."_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“Of course I prefer the ‘my wife’ nickname!”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I really didn’t know Gilbert had so many nicknames at work.” Anne chuckled. “Me personally? I think you know which one I prefer.” She smiled._

* * *

  * **Parenthood**



Anne couldn’t believe what she was looking at. The pink plus sign looked so unholy underneath the office’s restroom lights. “Oh shit.” She muttered before she sighed. Damn those condoms with only a 99.9% chance of working. Why did she and Gil have to be that 0.1%? They couldn’t be it, right? 

She knew there was another pregnancy test in the box and another two in the extra box she bought. The redhead had to be certain, so she went out, drank gallons of water, and for sure all the other three pregnancy tests came up with the same pink plus sign. How was she going to tell Gil? They weren’t planning to have kids at the moment and they did use contraception. He would be so shocked, maybe even angry.

Anne walked back to her desk and tried to continue with the article she was writing, but no matter how hard she tried, her mind couldn’t focus back on the task at hand. All she could think of was this soon to be baby growing in her uterus. 

She stared blankly at her computer screen, still no new words written on it when Miss Stacy passed by. “Anne?” The older woman asked. 

“Huh?” She asked, shaken from her train of thought. She stood up and said, “Sorry, I’m a bit shocked today. Do you need to speak to me, Miss Stacy?”

“Uh no, actually, I was just wondering if you were okay.” The blonde woman said. “You know I can see you from my office right?”

“Yes, m’am.”

“You’ve been staring at your screen for the past hour and you just seem so emotionless. Is everything alright?”

“Oh!” Anne said, surprised. “Yes, everything’s alright,” she lied. “Thank you for checking up on me, Miss Stacy. I really appreciate it.”

“You’re sure you’re fine?”

“Positive,” she said, not realizing how ironic the statement was when she first said it. 

“Alright then,” Miss Stacy said before she patted the redhead’s shoulder and left to get some water in the break room.

Anne sat down again and managed to continue her article just a bit before it was time for her to go home. Time seems to move so fast when you’re so surprised. As she made her way home, she kept thinking what she was going to do. Anne wasn’t planning on having kids at the moment, but she wasn’t objecting to it either. She did want kids, she just wasn’t sure if she and Gilbert were financially there yet for child support. Even after all those positive pregnancy tests, she still didn’t know what to feel in their situation, but deep inside she knew that she did feel a little sense of excitement for the baby even if they didn’t plan it. 

The redhead was really nervous to tell Gilbert. The hazel-eyed man has always been kind, but something this big might be so shocking. Anne couldn’t even imagine how he’d react. She sat on their living room sofa, unmoving until she heard the front door open. 

In contrast to Anne’s day, Gilbert’s didn’t have many surprises, just a lot of rounds and patients that needed his help. He was exhausted and not as cheerful as he could be. When he saw Anne standing up immediately with an unnerved expression on her face, he immediately felt something was wrong. He didn’t think any good news could come out that day. 

“Anne, honey, are you okay?” He asked, putting his work bag down.

Anne was still standing rigidly in front of the sofa. She took a deep breath and said. “Gil… I have something to tell you.” 

“What is it?” He asked, his eyes soft and scared. 

“I’m sorry, I’m so nervous.” Anne shook her head. “Uhm, remember a couple of weeks ago when we went out dancing and then…”

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Well I know we weren’t planning it and we did use protection, but I took four pregnancy tests today and they all came back positive. I know, crazy how I managed to generate enough pee for four pregnancy tests, but yeah, I’m pregnant. Ta-da!” Gilbert opened his mouth but no words came out so Anne continued, “Oh Gil, are you mad?”

Her partner blinked a few times, still taking in all she’s saying. “You’re pregnant?”

“Yes.”

“With a baby?”

Anne chuckled. He must be shocked, he’d never ask such a silly question otherwise. “Yes.”

When he finally took in this piece of information, Gilbert jumped to hug Anne. “SHIRLEY!!!” 

“So you’re not mad?” She asked, her eyes wide when they separated from their embrace.

“Mad? Honey, I could never be mad. This is the best way to end a really exhausting day. This is the best news!” He grinned before he kissed her head and hugged her again. “So we’re having a baby?”

“Yeah, we’re having a baby.” Anne smiled.

* * *

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Then he twirled me around. Like I said before, it was really sweet how excited he was.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I was scared, of course I was. The financial side of it was worrying, but other than that. I was indescribably happy.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“And parenthood today?” Anne chuckled. “Jem’s an angel, honestly, but even so, I’m still very sleep deprived. If you stopped talking to me, I’d fall asleep right now. I don’t think I could do it without Gil. He’s such a trooper.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I’m so tired, it’s insane. I’m trying my best, but I can’t imagine how my father did this on his own. Anne’s been a champ. If it weren’t for her, I’d be dead in Jem’s bodily fluids.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“That’s a tough question.” Anne sighed._

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“The best part of parenthood, I’m not sure yet because I’m still so new at this. But so far, I do feel a huge change in my life that I didn’t think could happen. When I hold Jem, it feels like holding the entire world in my arms. It’s quite a magical feeling. And when you have the entire world, you don’t want anything that can ruin this moment to happen. There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for him.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I love Gilbert with every fibre of my being, but! If someone asked me to choose between saving Gilbert’s life or Jem’s, I would throw Gilbert under a train.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I’m not even mad that Anne would throw me under a train for Jem.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“And if it was the other way around and he had to choose, I’d tell Gil to do the same. I’d do anything for Jem.”_

* * *

During Anne's 7th month of pregnancy, the couple had only finished converting the spare bedroom on the first floor as a room for their son. It was small, but they figured it’d do just fine for now. When they had more income and savings, maybe they’d find a bigger space for the three of them. 

Anne sat down in the rocking chair taking a break when Gilbert pulled another chair and sat in front of her. “Anne, honey, I’m really scared. What if… What if I’m bad at being a dad? What if I screw up? And I’m still a resident, I’m worried about the financial side of it too. I don’t want to let you down, I promised not to.”

The redhead caressed her husband’s face and she could see how solemn his eyes were at the moment. “Gil, you’re going to a wonderful father. We don’t have to figure everything out now. He’ll love you and care for you just like you did with your dad. You’ll be amazing.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do know. I’m sure. Don’t doubt yourself too much, Gil.” She said, smiling softly with hope that she can reassure him. She had faith in him, he should have some in himself too.

“Are **you** scared?” He asked. 

“Terrified. But, we’ll be okay.” 

Gilbert smiled and sighed, “Yeah, we’ll be okay.” 

“We’ll just have to face it together, whatever it is.”

* * *

The night they brought Jem back home from the hospital, Anne and Gilbert put their son to sleep in his cozy nursery and they looked at his peaceful face. Gilbert put his arms around Anne’s shoulders and she reciprocated by wrapping hers around his waist. 

"Are you still scared?" Anne asked. 

"Yeah. You?"

"Me too, but I'm happy." She said in a hushed tone. “He’s so beautiful, isn't he?” She continued. 

“Yeah…” He replied. 

“I kind of wished he didn’t have my hair though. I hope this won't ever happen to him but I'm scared he'll get teased.” She continued, looking at Jem’s wisps of red hair. “I thought that when I married a brunette, our kids would have beautiful hair like yours.” 

“Is that the real reason you married me? For my hair color?” Gilbert asked, joking around. 

“Yes?” She teased. 

He laughed softly at her answer. “But Anne-girl, you have the most gorgeous hair. Don’t say such things.” He said, kissing the side of her head. 

“Sorry… You know how I get insecure about my hair color sometimes. Old habits die hard.”

“I know, don’t be sorry. We’ll just keep reminding you how beautiful you are.” 

Anne scoffed at how cheesy Gilbert was, but smiled anyways. She let go of Gilbert and moved to stroke Jem’s head. 

“You know, if Jem has red hair, then someone in your family must’ve had red hair too.”

“You’re right. Lucky me then, I love people with red hair.” 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm sorry for not updating for a while, I couldn't bring myself to write, but I do hope you like this chapter even if it's not perfect. Just one more to go! I'm really excited to get started on it and to share it with you. :D
> 
> p.s I hope you don't mind the small mention of Stephanie Soo because I love her.


	10. That's a Wrap!

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Wow, I can't believe this is ending. It’s been a crazy year with you around.” Anne smiled at the crew. “Oh, regarding your question, well, when we first started doing this documentary, I thought it was a ridiculous idea.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“I was very skeptical. I thought this documentary might be turned into a trivialization of real life people into some kind of bad reality TV.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“I kept thinking about how people’s lives aren’t something to be played with, and I was worried that you might do that. “_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“But here we are now and I don’t really regret this. It made me rethink and look at my life from a different perspective, which is nice. Not everyone has the privilege to do that. It reminded me what a journey this has been and how much Anne has done for me. Sometimes I could only hope that I’ve done enough for her life too.” Gilbert smiled timidly._

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“Looking back,” Anne started as she thought about memories from her childhood. “I remember how my friends in school would sometimes talk about their dream person and I never really had one because I guess, I’ve already met my person. Even though I hated him when he thought I looked like a vegetable." She smiled widely. "Everything changed when we became friends and it’s funny isn’t it, where a friendship can take you?”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“No one and no relationship is perfect. Everyone has struggles, but the important thing is that we can choose who we want to struggle with, who we want to be there, and how we can be there for them in return.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He loved me through the good times and even more so through the tough times. He taught me how to accept love and how to truly love someone else. It’s wonderful, loving someone so deeply.”_

**_Gilbert Blythe_ **

_“It’s been about 20 years since we first met and all the years have been so great. Not easy, but it’s all I could ever wish for.” Gilbert nodded before looking straight at the camera. “There’s only so many people you can meet in life and even though a lot of them can have a place in your heart, there’s an innermost spot I have in mine that’s only reserved for Anne.”_

**_Anne Blythe_ **

_“He’s my favourite person. Until Jem, it always has undoubtedly been Gil.” She chuckled._

* * *

When the interview was over, they said their farewells to the documentary crew that has been a huge part of their life this past year. As they looked at all the people carrying their gear away from their house, Anne and Gilbert realized how exhausted they were from juggling both the interview and childrearing the whole day. They decided that before they could get some rest, they should check on Jem one last time. 

They thought Jem would be asleep, but instead, they found him cooing at the cute fox baby mobile Gilbert had carefully picked out hanging on top of the crib. Anne smiled at the sight and picked her baby up, swaying him around. She checked on his diaper while Gilbert, on the other side of the room, took his violin and started tuning it. Once they made sure Jem was ready to go to sleep, they decided they would play a song for their son. The couple smiled at each other before Gilbert started playing and Anne started singing the lullaby from _Lady and the Tramp._ Jem’s always the least fussy when they sang that song. 

> **_La la lu, La la lu_ **
> 
> **_Oh my little star sweeper_ **
> 
> **_I’ll sweep the stardust for you_ **
> 
> **_La la lu, La la lu_ **
> 
> **_Little soft fluffy sleeper_ **
> 
> **_Here comes a pink cloud for you_ **
> 
> **_La la lu, La la lu_ **
> 
> **_Little wandering angel_ **
> 
> **_Hold up you wings, close your eyes_ **
> 
> **_La la lu, La la lu_ **
> 
> **_And may love be your keeper_ **
> 
> **_La la lu, La la lu_ **
> 
> **_La la lu_ **

She kissed the top of his head before she put him back on his crib. She rocked the crib gently, so that their baby could still feel as if he was being swayed. That’s when she could feel Gilbert walking up to her. 

“Gil?” She called. 

“Yeah?” He answered, putting his arm around her waist. 

“I want to say I love you... But I don’t think that phrase does justice to how I actually feel.”

“I know what you mean. I guess, it’s hard to explain how you feel when you feel it so intensely.” He said, holding her closer. 

“Yeah… But I do, I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said slowly, looking at her adoringly. She put her head on his shoulder and they stayed there for a while. Even though they said they were going to rest after putting Jem to sleep, they couldn’t bring themselves to leave this heavenly atmosphere. 

It was a shame that their part of the documentary didn’t make the cut and never aired. The crew honestly loved them the most, but their decision makers decided to go with the other married couples instead. “They don’t have the commercial appeal. They’re too boring.” The bosses said to the crew’s disappointment. 

In the end, the crew opted to send a full, edited copy of the Blythe interviews to Anne and Gilbert instead. The couple didn’t mind that their part never aired. In a way, they were relieved they got to keep their relationship to themselves even if the experience itself was quite rewarding. They kept the CDs in a box and put it on the shelf underneath the living room television. 

Years go by after they put an end to that chapter in their lives. Anne and Gilbert moved on and baby Jem grew into a charming young boy. The now seven year old found himself observing his mother get ready for a night out. He had always loved seeing his parents get ready and dress up for their nights out. He enjoyed how neatly his father would put on cufflinks on his dress shirts and how he would ask for the young boy’s opinions on which socks to use, but he always loved his mother’s rituals more. There was something about how she brushed and did her hair that was therapeutic and he absolutely adored the smell of her perfume. 

Jem stood, leaning into his mother’s vanity and just looked at her lovingly when Anne turned her head to look back at him. With a lovely smile, she asked, “How do I look sweetheart?”

“You look beautiful mummy.” He said softly, taking in her smell. 

“Do you think your dad will like the dress?” Jem nodded and went into her arms. She hugged him close before she stood up from the chair. She was putting on her earrings when Gilbert came into the room. He was just downstairs opening the door for Jerry. 

“Anne, honey, are you ready to go?” He asked before he really took in the sight of Anne. He stood there in the doorway and smiled softly. His eyes looked at her in awe, not surprised that even after all these years she still had that effect on him. “Why, Jem, isn’t your mother a vision?” He asked Jem.

Jem nodded and walked to Gilbert alongside Anne who shook her head. They both took Jem’s hand and walked down the stairs to meet Jerry. 

“Damn, Anne.” Jerry teased when he saw his redheaded best friend walk down the stairs with her little family. She looked gorgeous.

Anne scrunched her nose. “Please don't ever say that again. It’s weird coming from you, Jerry.” She said. 

“Alright, I’ll leave all the mooning to Gilbert. He’s the pro.” He said.

“Haha,” The hazel-eyed man said sarcastically even though he knew that what the nurse said was true. “We’ll be back late. Maybe 11 or midnight.” He continued saying, helping his wife put on her coat. 

“Stay out as long as you want. Jem and I will be just fine. I’m a responsible adult.” Jerry said, picking up Jem and holding him. 

Anne and Gilbert stood in their front doorway and looked at him, questioning their choice to leave Jem with Jerry. “Why do you say it like that?” Anne said. “It makes me not want to leave.”

Jerry rolled his eyes. “Just go!” He pushed the couple out. “Have fun, you two.” He said before shutting the door on them. Anne and Gilbert looked at each other and sighed. They usually had Diana babysit Jem but she couldn’t do tonight. 

“Do you think this is a good idea? Leaving Jem with **_Jerry_**.” Anne asked, worried. 

“If we don’t leave, we might not get another night like this anytime soon.” Gilbert said. 

“You’re right, let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and they went on their merry way. 

In the house, Jerry played with Jem and when the young boy got more tired, they settled to watch a movie in the living room. They browsed Anne and Gilbert’s old DVD collections and they could see all the couple’s favourites. There was a copy of _The Incredibles, Lady and the Tramp, The Princess Bride (Gil’s favorite, he always wanted to be like Wesley), Dead Poets Society (Anne’s favorite),_ and a lot more. Then, Jem pulled out a box and opened it. Inside it were a couple of CDs with ‘ _The Blythe Documentary’_ written on them. 

“Uncle Jerry, what’s this?” Jem asked. 

Jerry peeked at what Jem was holding and laughed loudly. “Oh wow! I forgot they had this. This… It’s about your parents. See how it's got your name on it?” He asked and Jem nodded. “Do you want to know their story? They have a pretty good one if I may say so myself.”

“Yeah! Let's watch it.” Jem smiled widely.

“Okay then, I'll put it on.” Jerry said, setting up the DVD player for the young boy. They snuggled close to each other in the sofa as the footage started playing. 

“Gilbert?” Jem saw Aunt Diana said. “He’s great. Awesome doctor…” *****

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Diana's opening statement in "Gilbert 'My Wife' Blythe". 
> 
> AHHH SO THAT'S A WRAP ON THIS DOCUMENTARY! Let me know what you think, I hope it's not too bad.
> 
> Thank you for sticking to the end of this story if you did. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed making it. I apologize if it's not as good as you hoped it would be and for any errors I may have not realized I made. 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading and liking and commenting, I really appreciate it. :)


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